WEBVTT

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 Father, your word is going to take us into some hard places for Christians and non-Christians today.

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 But Father, we know that every word that you say to us in your holy word,

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 it's not meant to terrify us or belittle us or push us away,

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 but every word that you write, you've had written in your word, Father,

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 is meant to draw us to yourself.

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 That even when you confront us, you confront so that we will connect with you.

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 So we ask, Father, that the Holy Spirit would gently but deeply come into our hearts

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 to quiet and still our hearts and fan into flame a great longing and yearning

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 to know you and to trust you, to find our identity and our purpose in you.

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 And we ask all these things in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 So we're going to be looking at Esther 4, if you want to try to start to find that in your Bible.

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 But I have to give you all a bit of a warning this morning, especially if you're a guest here.

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 The text today is going to force us to talk about divine judgment.

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 And that's the text is going to talk about the fact that human beings are under God's judgment.

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 And let me tell you, all of the experts on church growth tell you not to talk about things like this

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 on a Sunday morning in a church in Canada,

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 because nobody anymore becomes a Christian as a result of being reminded about the judgment of God,

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 a judgment of God that goes on beyond death.

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 But one of the things that we do at this church,

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 and if you're here today as a guest or as a seeker or as a skeptic,

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 you should be actually very happy that one of the things that we do here

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 is that we preach through whole books of the Bible.

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 We do that mainly because they're written as books,

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 not as a series of quotes, but it's a book.

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 And the other thing is, you don't have to worry that if you're considering the Christian faith,

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 or even if you're mocking the Christian faith,

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 or if you weren't interested in the Christian faith before,

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 but you're here and so you're curious to see what I'm going to say,

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 we're not like a salesman who tries to get you to buy something

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 and then hopes you don't read the fine print.

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 Like we want you to read the fine print.

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 And that's why we go through books of the Bible.

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 There's not going to be any surprises to you if you end up becoming a Christian,

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 and I hope you will become a Christian.

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 And for us who are Christians, it's good to know the fine print.

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 And so we're going to look at Esther 4.

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 And we've been going through the book of Esther.

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 So this is, in a sense, episode 5.

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 If you think of the, even though it's chapter 4, it's episode 5.

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 It's the middle episode of a nine-episode series on Netflix, so to speak.

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 And what's just happened in the previous episode,

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 and I'll catch up with some of the other elements as we go along,

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 what's just happened in the previous episode,

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 is that a man by the name of Haman has reached the pinnacle of power in the Persian Empire.

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 Under King Xerxes, the emperor,

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 he is the next most important and powerful person in the entire emperor,

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 just underneath him.

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 And it turns out that Haman is an anti-Semite.

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 He hates Jewish people.

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 And he's triggered by something that happens to give him an excuse to unleash his rage against the Jewish people

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 to come up with a plan of genocide.

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 And he comes up with a plan to make sure that every Jewish person in the empire,

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 every man and woman, every old and young, even the children and babies,

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 that every single one of them will be killed.

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 And he's come up with a plan that's going to do two types of things.

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 He's going to both mobilize the power of the state so that the governors and the military

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 and whatever they have, like the police and the judges,

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 that the entire apparatus of the state is going to be geared on a particular day

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 in 11 months' time to kill every Jew.

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 And the other thing that he's done is that he's mobilized the population.

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 He's basically said,

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 And everybody who's not Jewish in Persia has permission to kill a Jewish person on that day,

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 that we encourage you to do that.

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 And not only should you kill them,

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 after you've killed them, take what they own that you like.

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 And it's a very, very telling moment.

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 You know, it's one of those things which is just psychologically so true

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 that after Haman has convinced the king to do this,

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 and after he's approved the plan,

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 and after he's had all the plan, because he's a good bureaucrat,

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 I'm not putting down bureaucrats, I'm not,

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 good business person as well, whatever,

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 I'll just be equal here about all that,

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 and he makes sure all the paperwork's right.

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 And after he's got all the paperwork right,

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 he puts his stamp on it,

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 and after he gets the last stamp on all of the paperwork

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 so that the whole thing can begin,

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 he says to the king,

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 Boy, it's time to have a beer, don't you think?

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 Yeah, I'd love to have a beer.

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 And that's how it ends.

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 The order to kill all the Jews goes out.

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 And Haman and the king go off to have some beer,

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 or wine, or scotch, or whatever it is that they drink.

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 I don't know what they would have drank back then.

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 And then what happens next?

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 Well, that's where our story keeps up.

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 The next day.

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 Verse 1.

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 Then Mordecai learned all that had been done.

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 And Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes

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 and went out into the midst of the city,

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 and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry.

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 I'm just sort of paused there for a second.

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 One of the things to catch up on is that the story begins when we meet Mordecai,

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 we discover that he's a Jewish man who's not living as a Jewish man,

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 but living as a Persian.

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 Mordecai actually means worshipper of Marduk,

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 which was a Babylonian deity.

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 And so he had a Persian name or like a pagan name.

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 He lived like a pagan, dressed like a pagan,

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 ate like a pagan, looked like a pagan.

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 He was a pagan.

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 And several episodes ago, we see the conversion of Mordecai,

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 who goes from being a man who lives like a pagan,

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 a pagan, to saying, I am now part of God's covenant people.

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 It's his conversion.

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 And here we see, so he is a Jewish man,

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 even though he doesn't have, I mean, now people think of it as a Jewish name,

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 but at the time it wasn't a Jewish name.

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 And he hears of what's going on,

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 and he just reacts with the deepest grief.

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 He's just been told that the power of the state

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 and all of his neighbors have been turned against him

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 and that 11 months they have permission to kill him

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 and steal everything that he has.

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 And so, you know, one of the things which is so wonderful about the Bible,

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 sometimes I have to talk to couples about this

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 because there's a tragedy.

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 I remember there was a couple quite a few years ago,

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 and they, very tragic, they lost a child.

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 And the husband and the wife mourned and grieved very differently.

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 The woman, everything that was going on inside of her was outside.

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 She would cry and sob and just be as public as possible about it.

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 And the guy, I mean, this is almost like a bit of a stereotype,

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 but the guy was a stoic guy.

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 He was a very, very, very introverted man,

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 and he dealt with it all introvertedly.

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 He hardly ever seemed to cry.

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 And she kept worrying that he wasn't grieving the right way.

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 And I had to tell her, you know,

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 the Bible doesn't tell us one way to grieve.

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 We all grieve differently.

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 And I had no reason to doubt that he was grieving.

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 And it's a neat thing here.

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 The Bible's not saying that if you have something terrible happen to you,

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 what you need to do is tear your clothes, wear sackcloth,

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 put on ashes on your head, and go screaming out into the street

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 and scream and scream and scream.

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 It's not telling you that, but, you know,

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 if that's how you grieve, that's fine.

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 And that was a very, that's, for that time,

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 that's how people grieved, actually.

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 Whether you're Jewish or pagan,

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 that was how people grieved.

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 And they would have all known,

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 everybody in the town would have known.

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 By now they would have known that Mordecai was Jewish.

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 They would have known why he was grieving.

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 And he was grieving.

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 Verse 2.

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 So he went up to the entrance of the king's gate,

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 just the entrance,

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 for no one was allowed to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth.

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 And just a little bit of a thing here.

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 The king's gate is actually like a building.

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 It's not like a gate that you just walk,

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 like that you think,

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 why, why, he doesn't want to open the gate and go through?

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 Like, it's not a garden gate.

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 It's actually the name of a very large building,

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 probably around this size, actually,

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 where the king's business was done.

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 So it would be just as if,

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 if one of you happened to grieve by yelling and screaming,

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 they probably wouldn't want you to show up at office doing that.

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 Like, it just wouldn't do.

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 And that's what's going on here.

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 So verse 3.

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 And in every province,

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 wherever the king's command and his decree reached,

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 there was great mourning among the Jews

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 with fasting and weeping and lamenting,

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 and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.

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 When Esther, and now you meet Esther,

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 when Esther's young women and her eunuchs

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 came and told her about Mordecai,

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 the queen was greatly distressed.

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 She sent garments to clothe Mordecai

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 so that he might take off his sackcloth,

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 but he would not accept them.

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 Just sort of pause.

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 Just if you're not familiar with the story,

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 Mordecai, Esther's parents died when she was young,

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 and Mordecai, who's related to her,

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 adopted her as his daughter,

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 and he's been, so he's Esther's dad.

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 And in the second episode,

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 we see how Esther becomes one,

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 not the only, but one of King Xerxes' wives.

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 And so she's a queen.

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 And, you know, this story as well,

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 it's such a very powerful thing

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 if you think about it, isn't it?

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 She doesn't know what's going on.

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 Like, we'll see that in a moment,

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 but she doesn't know what's going on.

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 But isn't that so often the case?

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 I mean, we, like, even in this digital world,

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 we might not know if there's some great persecution

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 going on in China

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 or some great massacre going on

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 in some part of the world.

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 We know about it if certain, you know,

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 reporters go there

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 or if it's somehow trendy.

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 But, and in fact,

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 even in our own lives,

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 there could be a terrible thing going on

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 amongst our neighbors,

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 and we just don't know.

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 And that's what's going on here.

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 Esther doesn't know.

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 She lives in the palace.

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 And Esther is also living

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 like the way Mordecai lived before.

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 She's not living as a Jewish person.

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 She uses her name.

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 She has a Hebrew name,

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 but nobody, she doesn't go by it.

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 She's named after the goddess Ishtar.

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 And so she eats like a Persian,

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 worships like a Persian,

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 looks like a Persian,

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 has a name that's Persian.

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 Nobody knows she's Jewish,

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 and she's the queen.

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 And the other thing

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 which is so interesting about this story,

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 look at it again here.

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 Just think about it.

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 She sends garments.

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 You can imagine if she sends garments,

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 I mean, that Persian king is rich.

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 Okay.

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 Like, he didn't send a cost,

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 she didn't go to Costco

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 to buy a few things

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 that are in the discount pile

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 to clothe Mordecai.

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 I don't even know where expensive,

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 I should have come up with preparation

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 as to where the expensive suits come from.

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 I don't know.

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 Some of you know,

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 or talk to somebody,

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 not me afterwards.

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 But this is expensive stuff

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 that she's giving Mordecai.

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 And this is the thing,

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 it's really interesting,

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 just before we go on,

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 I want you to notice it.

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 You know, it's so interesting.

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 So much of our life

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 is caught up with material stuff.

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 And so many,

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 so often we think,

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 if I could just get that suit,

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 if I could just have that sunglasses,

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 if I could just have that car,

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 if I could just have,

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 you know,

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 that t-shirt,

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 you know,

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 if I could just have that.

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 And so much of what we want

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 is connected with material things.

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 But we see right here,

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 when it actually comes down

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 to a life and death situation

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 and Mordecai's dying,

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 material stuff means zip.

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 Like, if you're going to die

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 a horrible death in 11 months,

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 having a $5,000 suit

00:12:07.019 --> 00:12:08.379
 doesn't do much for you.

00:12:09.459 --> 00:12:11.620
 Or a $5,000 handbag.

00:12:13.379 --> 00:12:13.639
 Like,

00:12:14.239 --> 00:12:15.299
 at the end of the day,

00:12:15.559 --> 00:12:16.679
 having more stuff

00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:19.079
 and having money

00:12:19.079 --> 00:12:22.379
 doesn't help you

00:12:22.379 --> 00:12:23.279
 at the moment of death.

00:12:25.379 --> 00:12:26.059
 And you know,

00:12:26.500 --> 00:12:27.459
 and this is really important

00:12:27.459 --> 00:12:28.639
 when we start talking about judgment,

00:12:28.759 --> 00:12:29.659
 if it doesn't mean anything

00:12:29.659 --> 00:12:30.559
 at the moment of death,

00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:31.619
 why does it mean so much

00:12:31.619 --> 00:12:33.239
 to us when we live?

00:12:34.179 --> 00:12:34.519
 I'm not saying

00:12:34.519 --> 00:12:36.459
 we all have to dress like dowdy.

00:12:36.539 --> 00:12:36.979
 I'm not saying,

00:12:37.099 --> 00:12:38.119
 it's not against money.

00:12:38.539 --> 00:12:39.919
 It's about money

00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:41.219
 and possessions and all

00:12:41.219 --> 00:12:42.179
 becoming the thing

00:12:42.179 --> 00:12:43.539
 by which we get our identity,

00:12:43.699 --> 00:12:44.799
 we put our hope in,

00:12:44.879 --> 00:12:46.579
 we satisfy ourselves with.

00:12:47.239 --> 00:12:48.039
 And at the end,

00:12:48.539 --> 00:12:49.459
 this story here

00:12:49.459 --> 00:12:50.239
 shows in a very,

00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:50.739
 very way

00:12:50.739 --> 00:12:51.959
 that he won't,

00:12:52.119 --> 00:12:53.359
 Mordecai doesn't accept it.

00:12:54.019 --> 00:12:54.259
 So,

00:12:54.500 --> 00:12:55.159
 verse 5.

00:12:56.120 --> 00:12:56.480
 So,

00:12:56.939 --> 00:12:57.139
 you know,

00:12:57.199 --> 00:12:57.939
 they go back,

00:12:58.039 --> 00:12:58.699
 they tell Esther

00:12:58.699 --> 00:12:59.819
 that he won't take it.

00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:00.120
 So,

00:13:00.199 --> 00:13:00.759
 verse 5,

00:13:00.839 --> 00:13:02.699
 then Esther called for Hathak,

00:13:03.199 --> 00:13:04.519
 one of the king's eunuchs.

00:13:05.579 --> 00:13:06.079
 By the way,

00:13:06.100 --> 00:13:06.839
 just if you don't know that,

00:13:06.899 --> 00:13:07.779
 a eunuch is a man,

00:13:07.939 --> 00:13:09.259
 this is one of the cruel things

00:13:09.259 --> 00:13:10.139
 of the empire.

00:13:11.179 --> 00:13:12.120
 He's a man who,

00:13:12.219 --> 00:13:12.959
 the king

00:13:12.959 --> 00:13:14.819
 cut away his testicles.

00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:17.959
 That's what a eunuch is.

00:13:20.100 --> 00:13:21.019
 You want to make sure

00:13:21.019 --> 00:13:22.039
 you have obedience

00:13:22.039 --> 00:13:23.480
 and you want to have him

00:13:23.480 --> 00:13:24.019
 working around

00:13:24.019 --> 00:13:25.019
 certain types of things,

00:13:25.139 --> 00:13:27.139
 they cut off his testicles.

00:13:28.379 --> 00:13:28.500
 So,

00:13:28.579 --> 00:13:29.179
 Esther called for,

00:13:29.339 --> 00:13:30.139
 verse 5,

00:13:30.699 --> 00:13:31.399
 Hathak,

00:13:31.599 --> 00:13:32.879
 and one of the king's eunuchs

00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:33.759
 who had been appointed

00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:35.299
 to attend her,

00:13:35.559 --> 00:13:36.159
 that's Esther,

00:13:36.879 --> 00:13:37.199
 that was,

00:13:37.379 --> 00:13:38.740
 and that was why it was.

00:13:38.959 --> 00:13:39.279
 Sorry,

00:13:39.699 --> 00:13:40.120
 sorry,

00:13:40.379 --> 00:13:41.279
 I skipped a line

00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:41.879
 when I was reading.

00:13:42.279 --> 00:13:42.759
 He'd been appointed

00:13:42.759 --> 00:13:43.419
 to attend her

00:13:43.419 --> 00:13:44.740
 and ordered him,

00:13:44.919 --> 00:13:45.740
 Esther orders him

00:13:45.740 --> 00:13:46.480
 to go to Mordecai

00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:48.039
 to learn what this was

00:13:48.039 --> 00:13:48.879
 and why it was.

00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:51.019
 Because Esther doesn't know.

00:13:51.939 --> 00:13:52.079
 So,

00:13:52.179 --> 00:13:53.079
 Hathak went out

00:13:53.079 --> 00:13:53.720
 to Mordecai

00:13:53.720 --> 00:13:54.539
 in the open square

00:13:54.539 --> 00:13:55.059
 of the city

00:13:55.059 --> 00:13:56.139
 in front of the king's gate

00:13:56.139 --> 00:13:58.139
 and Mordecai told him

00:13:58.139 --> 00:13:59.000
 all that had happened

00:13:59.000 --> 00:13:59.399
 to him

00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:01.179
 and the exact sum

00:14:01.179 --> 00:14:01.620
 of money

00:14:01.620 --> 00:14:02.879
 that Haman had promised

00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:03.299
 to pay

00:14:03.299 --> 00:14:04.500
 into the king's treasuries

00:14:04.500 --> 00:14:05.899
 for the destruction

00:14:05.899 --> 00:14:07.000
 of the Jews.

00:14:07.659 --> 00:14:08.879
 Mordecai also gave him

00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:09.399
 a copy

00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:10.279
 of the written decree

00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:11.419
 issued in Susa

00:14:11.419 --> 00:14:12.899
 for their destruction

00:14:12.899 --> 00:14:14.500
 that he might show it

00:14:14.500 --> 00:14:14.960
 to Esther

00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:16.539
 and explain it to her

00:14:16.539 --> 00:14:17.879
 and notice this,

00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:19.679
 and command her

00:14:19.679 --> 00:14:21.399
 to go to the king

00:14:21.399 --> 00:14:22.899
 to beg his favor

00:14:22.899 --> 00:14:24.120
 and plead with him

00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:25.659
 on behalf

00:14:25.659 --> 00:14:26.759
 of her people.

00:14:28.340 --> 00:14:28.840
 Now,

00:14:28.899 --> 00:14:29.620
 just sort of pause

00:14:29.620 --> 00:14:30.500
 there for a second.

00:14:34.299 --> 00:14:35.720
 Mordecai just outed her.

00:14:38.419 --> 00:14:39.759
 He just outed her.

00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:44.899
 He gives her

00:14:44.899 --> 00:14:45.460
 a copy

00:14:45.460 --> 00:14:46.100
 of the decree

00:14:46.100 --> 00:14:47.100
 from her husband

00:14:47.100 --> 00:14:50.039
 to kill all the Jews

00:14:50.039 --> 00:14:52.519
 and he told the eunuch

00:14:52.519 --> 00:14:54.460
 that Esther's a Jew.

00:14:56.220 --> 00:14:57.519
 He just outed her.

00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:05.240
 And

00:15:05.240 --> 00:15:07.919
 doesn't tell you

00:15:07.919 --> 00:15:08.819
 how she reacts.

00:15:10.580 --> 00:15:11.519
 But he goes

00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:12.539
 to verse,

00:15:12.600 --> 00:15:13.279
 it's going to be important

00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:14.319
 for the rest of the story

00:15:14.319 --> 00:15:15.080
 that he outed her.

00:15:16.980 --> 00:15:17.139
 And,

00:15:17.240 --> 00:15:17.500
 you know,

00:15:17.539 --> 00:15:18.299
 maybe you can tell me

00:15:18.299 --> 00:15:18.700
 different.

00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:19.240
 I don't know,

00:15:19.319 --> 00:15:20.139
 but I have a feeling

00:15:20.139 --> 00:15:21.279
 that in bureaucracies

00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:22.179
 there can be gossip.

00:15:22.360 --> 00:15:22.600
 I don't know,

00:15:22.620 --> 00:15:23.259
 has that ever happened

00:15:23.259 --> 00:15:24.059
 in like your office

00:15:24.059 --> 00:15:24.559
 at work?

00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:27.259
 Or maybe

00:15:27.259 --> 00:15:28.480
 if you're in the free market,

00:15:28.639 --> 00:15:28.819
 you know,

00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:29.840
 the private sector,

00:15:29.939 --> 00:15:30.980
 is there ever gossip?

00:15:31.819 --> 00:15:32.759
 If one knows

00:15:32.759 --> 00:15:33.960
 before you know it,

00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:35.279
 I'm only going to tell you

00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:37.080
 nobody else,

00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:37.399
 okay?

00:15:37.960 --> 00:15:38.679
 Esther's Jewish.

00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:40.299
 Next verse.

00:15:40.360 --> 00:15:40.980
 I'm going to tell you

00:15:40.980 --> 00:15:41.340
 and you,

00:15:41.740 --> 00:15:42.340
 Esther's Jewish.

00:15:42.419 --> 00:15:42.879
 Before you know it,

00:15:42.899 --> 00:15:43.500
 everybody will know.

00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:43.919
 Verse,

00:15:44.279 --> 00:15:44.960
 so what happened?

00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:45.220
 So,

00:15:45.299 --> 00:15:45.480
 well,

00:15:45.720 --> 00:15:47.059
 where am I?

00:15:47.100 --> 00:15:47.480
 Verse 8.

00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:48.840
 Verse 9.

00:15:49.860 --> 00:15:50.659
 So Hathak

00:15:50.659 --> 00:15:52.299
 went and told Esther

00:15:52.299 --> 00:15:53.720
 what Mordecai had said,

00:15:53.860 --> 00:15:54.939
 probably including that

00:15:54.939 --> 00:15:56.340
 Hathak said,

00:15:56.659 --> 00:15:57.379
 I didn't know

00:15:57.379 --> 00:15:58.220
 you were Jewish.

00:16:01.799 --> 00:16:02.399
 Verse 10,

00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:03.360
 and then Esther spoke

00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:04.019
 to Hathak

00:16:04.019 --> 00:16:05.220
 and commanded him

00:16:05.220 --> 00:16:06.259
 to go to Mordecai

00:16:06.259 --> 00:16:06.799
 and say,

00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:08.319
 because Mordecai,

00:16:08.379 --> 00:16:09.179
 so Mordecai said,

00:16:09.279 --> 00:16:09.959
 you got to go speak

00:16:09.959 --> 00:16:10.559
 to the king,

00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:11.419
 okay?

00:16:13.319 --> 00:16:14.720
 So there's a bit of edge

00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:15.879
 to her answer here.

00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:16.759
 All the kings,

00:16:16.899 --> 00:16:17.299
 verse 11,

00:16:17.419 --> 00:16:18.639
 all the king's servants

00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:19.740
 and the people

00:16:19.740 --> 00:16:21.019
 of the king's provinces,

00:16:22.079 --> 00:16:22.620
 in other words,

00:16:23.019 --> 00:16:23.419
 duh,

00:16:23.419 --> 00:16:25.500
 Mordecai,

00:16:25.779 --> 00:16:26.379
 duh,

00:16:28.719 --> 00:16:29.019
 like,

00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:31.259
 even the servant guys,

00:16:31.479 --> 00:16:31.879
 Mordecai,

00:16:31.939 --> 00:16:32.839
 and you're a bureaucrat,

00:16:32.979 --> 00:16:34.459
 middle to upper level bureaucrat,

00:16:34.539 --> 00:16:35.299
 they all know,

00:16:35.579 --> 00:16:36.139
 verse 11,

00:16:36.219 --> 00:16:37.839
 so that if any man

00:16:37.839 --> 00:16:38.959
 or woman goes to the king

00:16:38.959 --> 00:16:39.939
 inside the inner court

00:16:39.939 --> 00:16:41.120
 without being called,

00:16:41.979 --> 00:16:43.099
 there is but one law

00:16:43.099 --> 00:16:44.099
 to be put to death.

00:16:46.079 --> 00:16:46.959
 Except the one

00:16:46.959 --> 00:16:47.659
 to whom the king

00:16:47.659 --> 00:16:49.360
 holds out the golden scepter

00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:50.860
 so that he may live.

00:16:51.879 --> 00:16:52.779
 But as for me,

00:16:52.779 --> 00:16:54.419
 I have not been called

00:16:54.419 --> 00:16:55.600
 to come into the king

00:16:55.600 --> 00:16:57.100
 these 30 days.

00:16:58.159 --> 00:16:59.399
 Now just sort of pause here

00:16:59.399 --> 00:17:00.279
 for a second.

00:17:00.839 --> 00:17:01.600
 Interestingly enough,

00:17:01.679 --> 00:17:02.720
 there's an ancient historian

00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:03.620
 called Herodotus

00:17:03.620 --> 00:17:04.859
 who in fact says

00:17:04.859 --> 00:17:06.000
 in his history

00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:06.920
 of this time period

00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:07.539
 that that in fact

00:17:07.539 --> 00:17:08.119
 is the law.

00:17:08.940 --> 00:17:09.779
 That if you tried

00:17:09.779 --> 00:17:10.359
 to go in

00:17:10.359 --> 00:17:11.539
 to see the emperor

00:17:11.539 --> 00:17:12.480
 where he was,

00:17:12.539 --> 00:17:13.480
 the king where he was

00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:14.839
 in his private sanctum,

00:17:14.879 --> 00:17:16.200
 if you tried to go in there

00:17:16.200 --> 00:17:17.859
 without getting an invitation,

00:17:18.700 --> 00:17:20.279
 the penalty was instant death.

00:17:20.619 --> 00:17:20.899
 Remember,

00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:21.819
 this is a man

00:17:21.819 --> 00:17:23.399
 who if you want to serve him

00:17:23.399 --> 00:17:24.319
 in certain positions,

00:17:24.419 --> 00:17:25.079
 not all the positions,

00:17:25.179 --> 00:17:25.919
 but many servants,

00:17:26.039 --> 00:17:26.500
 if you're a guy

00:17:26.500 --> 00:17:27.139
 and want to serve me,

00:17:27.220 --> 00:17:28.220
 cuts out your testicles.

00:17:29.159 --> 00:17:29.960
 This is a guy

00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:32.200
 who went and twice now

00:17:32.200 --> 00:17:32.579
 at least

00:17:32.579 --> 00:17:33.839
 has just rounded up women

00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:34.899
 to satisfy him

00:17:34.899 --> 00:17:35.579
 for one night

00:17:35.579 --> 00:17:36.559
 of sexual pleasure.

00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:37.859
 This is a man

00:17:37.859 --> 00:17:38.759
 who has many wives

00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:40.119
 and isn't at all

00:17:40.119 --> 00:17:41.220
 opposed to just

00:17:41.220 --> 00:17:41.939
 getting rid of one

00:17:41.939 --> 00:17:42.720
 if she does something

00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:43.519
 that doesn't please him

00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:44.200
 and at the same time

00:17:44.200 --> 00:17:45.439
 goes ahead and penalizes

00:17:45.439 --> 00:17:46.000
 every woman

00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:46.899
 in the entire land.

00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:47.700
 And this is a man

00:17:47.700 --> 00:17:48.939
 who has no problem

00:17:48.940 --> 00:17:49.779
 with saying,

00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:50.340
 I'm going to kill

00:17:50.340 --> 00:17:50.920
 every Jew

00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:51.960
 in my entire kingdom

00:17:51.960 --> 00:17:52.400
 and I'm going to

00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:53.140
 encourage people

00:17:53.140 --> 00:17:53.700
 to kill him

00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:54.660
 so you can understand

00:17:54.660 --> 00:17:55.620
 this is a brutal age,

00:17:55.740 --> 00:17:56.820
 this is the rule,

00:17:56.920 --> 00:17:57.460
 this is the law.

00:17:57.740 --> 00:17:58.340
 And this king

00:17:58.340 --> 00:17:59.400
 has more than one wife,

00:17:59.460 --> 00:18:00.580
 it's not maybe surprising

00:18:00.580 --> 00:18:01.320
 that he hasn't had

00:18:01.320 --> 00:18:02.980
 seen this particular wife

00:18:02.980 --> 00:18:03.820
 for 30 days.

00:18:04.400 --> 00:18:05.740
 And Esther is by implication

00:18:05.740 --> 00:18:06.059
 saying,

00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:06.799
 I have no idea

00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:07.660
 how long it will be.

00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:08.559
 And you know a thing

00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:09.380
 that must be really

00:18:09.380 --> 00:18:10.400
 rubbing Mordecai

00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:11.100
 very hard,

00:18:11.180 --> 00:18:12.240
 it must even be hard

00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:13.580
 as Esther is saying this,

00:18:14.019 --> 00:18:14.740
 and this we learn

00:18:14.740 --> 00:18:15.500
 not from the text

00:18:15.500 --> 00:18:16.559
 but from Herodotus,

00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:17.980
 is that the seven

00:18:17.980 --> 00:18:19.659
 top bureaucrats

00:18:19.659 --> 00:18:20.899
 in the entire land

00:18:20.899 --> 00:18:22.899
 had constant easy access

00:18:22.899 --> 00:18:23.539
 back and forth

00:18:23.539 --> 00:18:24.059
 to the king

00:18:24.059 --> 00:18:25.440
 and Haman was the top

00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:26.019
 of that seven.

00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:27.399
 And so it must have been

00:18:27.399 --> 00:18:28.720
 driving Mordecai wild

00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:29.279
 to know

00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:32.220
 that the man

00:18:32.220 --> 00:18:33.460
 plotting his destruction

00:18:33.460 --> 00:18:34.179
 could go in

00:18:34.179 --> 00:18:35.059
 and talk to the king

00:18:35.059 --> 00:18:36.399
 whenever he felt like it.

00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:42.539
 And Mordecai is helpless.

00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:44.759
 The only way he knows

00:18:44.759 --> 00:18:45.460
 to deal with it

00:18:45.460 --> 00:18:46.220
 is for Esther.

00:18:46.220 --> 00:18:47.299
 He's the only person

00:18:47.299 --> 00:18:47.779
 who's close,

00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:48.539
 she's the only person

00:18:48.539 --> 00:18:49.059
 close enough

00:18:49.059 --> 00:18:49.819
 to maybe go talk

00:18:49.819 --> 00:18:50.319
 to the king.

00:18:52.120 --> 00:18:53.299
 And now Esther

00:18:53.299 --> 00:18:54.980
 just tells Mordecai

00:18:54.980 --> 00:18:55.880
 this thing,

00:18:56.339 --> 00:18:57.559
 that if she goes there

00:18:57.559 --> 00:18:59.079
 and takes this risk,

00:18:59.740 --> 00:19:01.819
 if the king isn't

00:19:01.819 --> 00:19:02.700
 in a particular

00:19:02.700 --> 00:19:04.660
 like Esther-friendly mood,

00:19:05.440 --> 00:19:06.240
 and who knows,

00:19:06.380 --> 00:19:06.559
 you know,

00:19:06.640 --> 00:19:08.079
 maybe for all Esther knows,

00:19:08.819 --> 00:19:09.400
 two or three

00:19:09.400 --> 00:19:10.319
 of the other wives

00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:11.059
 have been telling

00:19:11.059 --> 00:19:11.519
 the king

00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:12.960
 how terrible Esther is

00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:13.900
 and how she's fat

00:19:13.900 --> 00:19:14.460
 and ugly

00:19:14.460 --> 00:19:16.480
 and says mean things

00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:17.019
 about him

00:19:17.019 --> 00:19:17.740
 and who knows

00:19:17.740 --> 00:19:19.220
 how often

00:19:19.220 --> 00:19:19.540
 they've been

00:19:19.540 --> 00:19:20.980
 poisoning his mind

00:19:20.980 --> 00:19:21.440
 about her.

00:19:23.800 --> 00:19:24.420
 And so you know

00:19:24.420 --> 00:19:25.360
 what we would tell,

00:19:25.600 --> 00:19:26.420
 what would we tell Esther?

00:19:26.500 --> 00:19:26.740
 We'd say,

00:19:26.800 --> 00:19:26.980
 Esther,

00:19:27.060 --> 00:19:27.700
 that's outrageous,

00:19:27.880 --> 00:19:28.560
 you have to go to that.

00:19:28.680 --> 00:19:28.780
 Like,

00:19:28.800 --> 00:19:29.640
 why don't you just wait?

00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:30.740
 You have 11 months,

00:19:30.800 --> 00:19:30.900
 like,

00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:31.480
 just wait.

00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:31.820
 Like,

00:19:31.840 --> 00:19:32.640
 I'm sure eventually

00:19:32.640 --> 00:19:33.320
 he'll want to see

00:19:33.320 --> 00:19:34.060
 and then you can deal

00:19:34.060 --> 00:19:34.440
 with it.

00:19:34.440 --> 00:19:36.600
 But we all know

00:19:36.600 --> 00:19:38.299
 if you get the whole

00:19:38.299 --> 00:19:38.880
 bureaucracy

00:19:38.880 --> 00:19:40.120
 of an entire nation

00:19:40.120 --> 00:19:41.299
 pointing one way,

00:19:41.580 --> 00:19:42.799
 it can be pretty hard

00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:43.980
 to turn it another way.

00:19:47.200 --> 00:19:47.740
 Mordecai knows

00:19:47.740 --> 00:19:48.860
 you don't have 11 months.

00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:53.100
 So she says this

00:19:53.100 --> 00:19:53.580
 to Mordecai.

00:19:53.640 --> 00:19:54.340
 So how's Mordecai

00:19:54.340 --> 00:19:55.080
 going to respond?

00:19:55.080 --> 00:19:55.420
 Well,

00:19:55.519 --> 00:19:56.120
 verse 12,

00:19:57.740 --> 00:19:58.460
 and by the way,

00:19:58.539 --> 00:19:59.340
 in the next couple

00:19:59.340 --> 00:19:59.799
 of verses,

00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:02.480
 the entire meaning

00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:03.240
 of the book

00:20:03.240 --> 00:20:04.779
 and the crux

00:20:04.779 --> 00:20:05.299
 and the center

00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:05.700
 of the book

00:20:05.700 --> 00:20:06.819
 is in the next few verses.

00:20:07.620 --> 00:20:08.259
 And we're going to talk

00:20:08.259 --> 00:20:09.799
 a little bit about it

00:20:09.799 --> 00:20:11.440
 today and in some ways

00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:12.579
 the rest of the episodes

00:20:12.579 --> 00:20:13.740
 or the parts of the book

00:20:13.740 --> 00:20:15.200
 will keep coming back

00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:15.819
 to this because it's

00:20:15.819 --> 00:20:16.700
 the center of the book.

00:20:16.779 --> 00:20:17.579
 It's the turning point

00:20:17.579 --> 00:20:18.059
 of the book.

00:20:18.980 --> 00:20:19.740
 Mordecai's answer

00:20:19.740 --> 00:20:20.799
 and Esther's response.

00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:21.480
 Verse 12,

00:20:21.599 --> 00:20:22.420
 Mordecai's answer

00:20:22.420 --> 00:20:23.000
 to Esther

00:20:23.000 --> 00:20:24.480
 that she's going to die.

00:20:25.059 --> 00:20:26.220
 And so Mordecai,

00:20:28.259 --> 00:20:28.980
 they told,

00:20:29.180 --> 00:20:29.660
 verse 12,

00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:30.579
 they told Mordecai

00:20:30.579 --> 00:20:31.500
 what Esther had said.

00:20:31.500 --> 00:20:34.119
 And Mordecai

00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:34.700
 would have known

00:20:34.700 --> 00:20:36.500
 that she risked death.

00:20:36.740 --> 00:20:37.339
 He wouldn't have known

00:20:37.339 --> 00:20:38.160
 maybe that she hadn't

00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:39.339
 been there in 30 days,

00:20:39.460 --> 00:20:41.339
 but he'd know

00:20:41.339 --> 00:20:42.119
 that it risked death.

00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:43.160
 So verse 13,

00:20:43.220 --> 00:20:44.220
 then Mordecai told them

00:20:44.220 --> 00:20:45.299
 to reply to Esther,

00:20:46.579 --> 00:20:47.220
 listen to this,

00:20:47.460 --> 00:20:48.720
 do you not think

00:20:48.720 --> 00:20:49.779
 to yourself

00:20:49.779 --> 00:20:51.380
 that in the king's palace

00:20:51.380 --> 00:20:53.059
 you will escape

00:20:53.059 --> 00:20:54.339
 any more

00:20:54.339 --> 00:20:55.839
 than all the other Jews?

00:20:55.839 --> 00:21:00.439
 He's sealed

00:21:00.439 --> 00:21:01.439
 her death warrant

00:21:01.439 --> 00:21:02.819
 by outing her.

00:21:05.639 --> 00:21:06.439
 She has to sort of

00:21:06.439 --> 00:21:07.579
 think about that

00:21:07.579 --> 00:21:08.359
 and think,

00:21:08.579 --> 00:21:09.959
 do I trust

00:21:09.959 --> 00:21:10.639
 all the people

00:21:10.639 --> 00:21:11.240
 around me?

00:21:12.039 --> 00:21:12.220
 I mean,

00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:12.679
 I have some

00:21:12.679 --> 00:21:13.899
 expensive stuff

00:21:13.899 --> 00:21:15.899
 and the king's

00:21:15.899 --> 00:21:17.659
 pretty bloodthirsty.

00:21:18.339 --> 00:21:19.399
 Do I even trust

00:21:19.399 --> 00:21:20.299
 these other wives

00:21:20.299 --> 00:21:21.480
 not to strangle me

00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:22.220
 in my sleep

00:21:22.220 --> 00:21:23.519
 or just put a dagger

00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:23.799
 in me

00:21:23.799 --> 00:21:24.720
 and take my dresses

00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:25.740
 and my emeralds

00:21:25.740 --> 00:21:26.539
 and my gold?

00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:30.140
 I'll say that again then.

00:21:30.420 --> 00:21:31.140
 Do not think

00:21:31.140 --> 00:21:31.680
 to yourself

00:21:31.680 --> 00:21:32.759
 that in the king's palace

00:21:32.759 --> 00:21:33.460
 you will escape

00:21:33.460 --> 00:21:33.819
 any more

00:21:33.819 --> 00:21:34.839
 than all the other Jews.

00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:37.519
 For if you keep

00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:39.039
 silent at this time,

00:21:40.140 --> 00:21:41.640
 relief and deliverance

00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:43.559
 will rise for the Jews

00:21:43.559 --> 00:21:45.180
 from another place.

00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:47.339
 This is a profound

00:21:47.339 --> 00:21:49.600
 act of faith.

00:21:52.700 --> 00:21:53.759
 Mordecai is showing

00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:54.960
 that he believes

00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:56.319
 that God is present,

00:21:56.619 --> 00:21:57.079
 powerful,

00:21:57.240 --> 00:21:57.779
 and active

00:21:57.779 --> 00:21:58.920
 even if he is hidden

00:21:58.920 --> 00:22:00.579
 and that he will

00:22:00.579 --> 00:22:01.799
 keep his word

00:22:01.799 --> 00:22:03.259
 to protect

00:22:03.259 --> 00:22:04.819
 his covenant people

00:22:04.819 --> 00:22:07.759
 and that he has

00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:08.259
 no idea

00:22:08.259 --> 00:22:09.180
 how it will happen.

00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:09.900
 He's not talking

00:22:09.900 --> 00:22:10.539
 about a miracle

00:22:10.539 --> 00:22:11.379
 although he'd be open

00:22:11.379 --> 00:22:12.000
 to a miracle.

00:22:12.460 --> 00:22:13.359
 He's just saying

00:22:13.359 --> 00:22:13.680
 to her,

00:22:13.759 --> 00:22:14.599
 God is going

00:22:14.599 --> 00:22:15.640
 to deliver us.

00:22:17.500 --> 00:22:18.819
 Will it be through you

00:22:18.819 --> 00:22:20.399
 or somebody else?

00:22:22.019 --> 00:22:23.439
 But he will deliver us.

00:22:25.059 --> 00:22:26.319
 And look at how it goes on.

00:22:26.419 --> 00:22:26.899
 Here's where we have

00:22:26.899 --> 00:22:27.399
 to talk about it.

00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:28.139
 But you,

00:22:28.559 --> 00:22:29.159
 I'll say that again,

00:22:29.200 --> 00:22:29.679
 verse 14,

00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:31.179
 for if you keep silent

00:22:31.179 --> 00:22:31.980
 at this time,

00:22:32.539 --> 00:22:33.539
 relief and deliverance

00:22:33.539 --> 00:22:34.740
 will rise for the Jews

00:22:34.740 --> 00:22:35.960
 from another place.

00:22:36.019 --> 00:22:36.639
 But you

00:22:36.639 --> 00:22:38.399
 and your father's house

00:22:38.399 --> 00:22:39.960
 will perish.

00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:43.200
 And this is a word

00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:44.119
 of perishing.

00:22:44.839 --> 00:22:45.679
 It's sort of like

00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:47.840
 a word of ongoing perishing.

00:22:48.120 --> 00:22:48.660
 It's actually

00:22:48.660 --> 00:22:49.680
 an image for hell.

00:22:53.060 --> 00:22:54.240
 It's an image for hell.

00:22:56.200 --> 00:22:57.240
 And who knows

00:22:57.240 --> 00:22:58.460
 whether you have not,

00:22:58.580 --> 00:22:58.860
 here's look

00:22:58.860 --> 00:22:59.640
 this beautiful one.

00:22:59.700 --> 00:23:00.100
 Many of us,

00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:00.740
 the only thing we know

00:23:00.740 --> 00:23:01.240
 about Esther

00:23:01.240 --> 00:23:02.180
 is this next bit.

00:23:02.500 --> 00:23:03.519
 And who knows

00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:04.900
 whether you have not

00:23:04.900 --> 00:23:05.840
 come to the kingdom

00:23:05.840 --> 00:23:08.080
 for such a time

00:23:08.080 --> 00:23:09.100
 as this.

00:23:11.160 --> 00:23:11.920
 I haven't talked

00:23:11.920 --> 00:23:12.560
 about providence

00:23:12.560 --> 00:23:13.000
 at all throughout

00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:13.740
 the entire book.

00:23:13.779 --> 00:23:14.539
 In the next few weeks,

00:23:14.580 --> 00:23:15.440
 we'll talk about it a lot.

00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:15.880
 In other words,

00:23:15.940 --> 00:23:17.140
 what he is saying

00:23:17.140 --> 00:23:18.559
 is at the same time,

00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:19.460
 the king is being

00:23:19.460 --> 00:23:20.120
 bloodthirsty.

00:23:20.539 --> 00:23:21.799
 So Vashti is just

00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:22.900
 being a B,

00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:24.160
 da-da-da-da-da-da,

00:23:24.600 --> 00:23:25.960
 and the king

00:23:25.960 --> 00:23:26.940
 is being a J

00:23:26.940 --> 00:23:27.820
 with some other

00:23:27.820 --> 00:23:28.820
 letters after it,

00:23:29.240 --> 00:23:31.400
 and he's bloodthirsty

00:23:31.400 --> 00:23:32.200
 and he's powerful,

00:23:32.460 --> 00:23:33.980
 and Haman is scheming,

00:23:34.120 --> 00:23:35.400
 and Mordecai is doing this,

00:23:35.799 --> 00:23:36.600
 and everybody's

00:23:36.600 --> 00:23:38.100
 exercising their free will,

00:23:38.220 --> 00:23:38.799
 and everybody's

00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:39.759
 responsible for what

00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:41.799
 they do,

00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:42.940
 but at the same time,

00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:44.360
 God is still king.

00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:48.720
 He has never relinquished it,

00:23:49.460 --> 00:23:51.539
 and he has brought

00:23:51.539 --> 00:23:52.420
 Esther

00:23:52.420 --> 00:23:54.160
 to this place

00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:55.600
 for such a time

00:23:55.600 --> 00:23:56.120
 as this.

00:23:58.019 --> 00:23:59.440
 This book teaches us

00:23:59.440 --> 00:24:00.759
 the doctrine of providence,

00:24:01.080 --> 00:24:02.680
 not by statements,

00:24:02.840 --> 00:24:03.900
 but by story.

00:24:03.900 --> 00:24:07.800
 So verse 15,

00:24:07.880 --> 00:24:08.740
 and Esther told them

00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:09.900
 to reply to Mordecai,

00:24:10.019 --> 00:24:13.320
 go gather all the Jews

00:24:13.320 --> 00:24:14.860
 to be found in Susa

00:24:14.860 --> 00:24:16.100
 and hold a fast

00:24:16.100 --> 00:24:17.140
 on my behalf,

00:24:17.460 --> 00:24:19.160
 and do not eat or drink

00:24:19.160 --> 00:24:20.180
 for three days,

00:24:20.600 --> 00:24:21.580
 night or day.

00:24:22.300 --> 00:24:23.600
 I and my young women

00:24:23.600 --> 00:24:25.320
 will also fast as you do.

00:24:25.880 --> 00:24:27.259
 Then I will go to the king,

00:24:27.780 --> 00:24:29.040
 though it is against the law,

00:24:29.759 --> 00:24:30.900
 and if I perish,

00:24:30.900 --> 00:24:32.400
 I perish.

00:24:34.180 --> 00:24:35.500
 Mordecai then went away

00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:36.160
 and did everything

00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:37.160
 as Esther had ordered him.

00:24:37.220 --> 00:24:38.180
 This is the conversion

00:24:38.180 --> 00:24:38.780
 of Esther.

00:24:41.400 --> 00:24:42.519
 Why is it a conversion

00:24:42.519 --> 00:24:42.940
 of Esther?

00:24:43.040 --> 00:24:43.700
 It has everything

00:24:43.700 --> 00:24:44.500
 about a conversion.

00:24:44.680 --> 00:24:45.400
 There's a reversal.

00:24:46.100 --> 00:24:47.460
 Up until this moment,

00:24:48.140 --> 00:24:49.440
 she's looked like a Persian,

00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:50.780
 eaten like a Persian,

00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:52.320
 worshipped like a Persian,

00:24:53.000 --> 00:24:54.180
 everything Persian.

00:24:54.680 --> 00:24:55.700
 At this moment,

00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:56.920
 so her entire life

00:24:56.920 --> 00:24:57.880
 is as if it's going

00:24:57.880 --> 00:24:58.700
 this direction,

00:24:58.700 --> 00:25:00.380
 and at this moment,

00:25:01.279 --> 00:25:02.019
 they call the sermon

00:25:02.019 --> 00:25:03.080
 a reluctant convert.

00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:04.220
 She didn't wake up

00:25:04.220 --> 00:25:05.360
 that morning thinking

00:25:05.360 --> 00:25:06.440
 that she was going

00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:07.039
 to find out

00:25:07.039 --> 00:25:08.759
 that she was in danger

00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:09.400
 of dying.

00:25:09.700 --> 00:25:10.720
 She didn't wake up

00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:12.220
 that morning thinking

00:25:12.220 --> 00:25:15.819
 that she would be outed

00:25:15.819 --> 00:25:17.039
 in such a threat.

00:25:17.160 --> 00:25:18.340
 She did not wake up

00:25:18.340 --> 00:25:19.400
 that morning thinking

00:25:19.400 --> 00:25:20.160
 that she would have

00:25:20.160 --> 00:25:21.180
 to consider whether

00:25:21.180 --> 00:25:22.600
 or not she would

00:25:22.600 --> 00:25:23.279
 take the risk

00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:25.319
 of dying at the king's hand

00:25:25.319 --> 00:25:27.220
 to go and intercede

00:25:27.220 --> 00:25:28.360
 for the Jewish people,

00:25:28.600 --> 00:25:29.620
 and situation

00:25:29.620 --> 00:25:30.380
 has moved her

00:25:30.380 --> 00:25:30.940
 to this point.

00:25:31.019 --> 00:25:32.000
 She's probably been aware

00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:34.440
 of Mordecai's conversion.

00:25:34.819 --> 00:25:35.940
 She's probably been aware

00:25:35.940 --> 00:25:37.160
 of his growing faith

00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:38.279
 in Yahweh,

00:25:38.380 --> 00:25:38.839
 the Lord,

00:25:38.940 --> 00:25:39.600
 the God of the coming,

00:25:39.660 --> 00:25:40.279
 but her life

00:25:40.279 --> 00:25:41.400
 has been in this direction,

00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:43.940
 and by external circumstances,

00:25:43.940 --> 00:25:45.019
 she has stopped

00:25:45.019 --> 00:25:46.079
 in her tracks.

00:25:48.299 --> 00:25:51.100
 And it is put before her,

00:25:51.440 --> 00:25:52.680
 you have a choice.

00:25:53.360 --> 00:25:54.500
 You can continue

00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:55.480
 in this path,

00:25:55.480 --> 00:25:56.420
 and if you continue

00:25:56.420 --> 00:25:57.200
 in this path,

00:25:57.420 --> 00:25:58.180
 you will die.

00:25:59.099 --> 00:25:59.960
 You will perish.

00:26:02.519 --> 00:26:03.039
 Or,

00:26:03.799 --> 00:26:06.240
 you can turn

00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:10.019
 and walk

00:26:10.019 --> 00:26:12.299
 towards Yahweh,

00:26:13.180 --> 00:26:14.480
 the one who delivered

00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:15.900
 his people from slavery

00:26:15.900 --> 00:26:16.740
 in Egypt

00:26:16.740 --> 00:26:18.079
 and made a covenant

00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:18.660
 with them

00:26:18.660 --> 00:26:20.059
 that he would be

00:26:20.059 --> 00:26:20.839
 their king,

00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:22.440
 that he would care

00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:22.980
 for them,

00:26:23.819 --> 00:26:24.420
 they would be

00:26:24.420 --> 00:26:25.200
 his people,

00:26:25.720 --> 00:26:27.600
 and they were to live,

00:26:27.720 --> 00:26:28.500
 now that he had

00:26:28.500 --> 00:26:29.240
 redeemed them,

00:26:29.360 --> 00:26:30.200
 they were to learn

00:26:30.200 --> 00:26:30.779
 how to live

00:26:30.779 --> 00:26:31.920
 as his redeemed people.

00:26:34.660 --> 00:26:36.019
 And she turns,

00:26:37.360 --> 00:26:38.820
 and by calling

00:26:38.820 --> 00:26:39.640
 for a fast,

00:26:39.740 --> 00:26:40.740
 it means she's calling

00:26:40.740 --> 00:26:41.840
 for three days

00:26:41.840 --> 00:26:43.259
 of intensive prayer.

00:26:44.300 --> 00:26:45.460
 And at the end of it,

00:26:46.460 --> 00:26:47.680
 she will choose

00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:48.860
 to live

00:26:48.860 --> 00:26:50.539
 under God's hand

00:26:50.539 --> 00:26:53.200
 and under his authority,

00:26:53.639 --> 00:26:55.019
 even if it means

00:26:55.019 --> 00:26:55.639
 she dies.

00:26:57.519 --> 00:26:58.779
 And let me tell you,

00:26:59.420 --> 00:26:59.940
 generally,

00:27:00.359 --> 00:27:01.759
 if somebody says,

00:27:03.119 --> 00:27:04.279
 I guess I'll be

00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:04.819
 a Christian,

00:27:05.559 --> 00:27:07.200
 even if it kills me,

00:27:08.119 --> 00:27:08.899
 they're a reluctant

00:27:08.899 --> 00:27:09.399
 convert.

00:27:09.400 --> 00:27:09.540
 convert.

00:27:14.900 --> 00:27:15.400
 You know,

00:27:15.480 --> 00:27:16.280
 in many ways,

00:27:17.300 --> 00:27:18.300
 just as an aside,

00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:19.880
 when I,

00:27:20.340 --> 00:27:20.960
 just before,

00:27:21.280 --> 00:27:22.300
 I came to the point

00:27:22.300 --> 00:27:23.740
 where I knew

00:27:23.740 --> 00:27:24.220
 that I was going

00:27:24.220 --> 00:27:25.100
 to become a Christian,

00:27:26.100 --> 00:27:27.360
 and I was

00:27:27.360 --> 00:27:28.300
 a reluctant convert.

00:27:29.040 --> 00:27:29.640
 It was like,

00:27:29.880 --> 00:27:30.500
 oh, dang,

00:27:31.360 --> 00:27:32.019
 I guess I'm going

00:27:32.019 --> 00:27:32.900
 to become a Christian.

00:27:35.259 --> 00:27:36.380
 Sort of inconvenient.

00:27:36.380 --> 00:27:40.560
 Like I wasn't

00:27:40.560 --> 00:27:41.320
 doing dancing.

00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:43.440
 If you have a conversion

00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:44.260
 that makes you dance,

00:27:44.360 --> 00:27:44.960
 praise God.

00:27:45.340 --> 00:27:46.440
 But some of us don't.

00:27:46.740 --> 00:27:47.260
 Some of us

00:27:47.260 --> 00:27:48.300
 are reluctant converts.

00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:50.000
 She's a reluctant convert.

00:27:50.140 --> 00:27:51.080
 So what's going on here

00:27:51.080 --> 00:27:52.620
 in this whole story

00:27:52.620 --> 00:27:53.580
 to try to sort of

00:27:53.580 --> 00:27:54.420
 bring some points

00:27:54.420 --> 00:27:55.020
 home to us?

00:27:55.880 --> 00:27:57.920
 And there's some

00:27:57.920 --> 00:27:58.880
 very, very challenging

00:27:58.880 --> 00:27:59.600
 things here.

00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:00.400
 There's this idea

00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:01.520
 that she's under

00:28:01.520 --> 00:28:02.300
 God's judgment,

00:28:02.500 --> 00:28:03.260
 that if she's not under,

00:28:03.420 --> 00:28:04.220
 if she doesn't do,

00:28:04.340 --> 00:28:04.900
 she's going to have

00:28:04.900 --> 00:28:05.700
 a type of judgment

00:28:05.700 --> 00:28:06.420
 under God

00:28:06.420 --> 00:28:06.880
 that will mean

00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:08.240
 that she will perish forever.

00:28:09.059 --> 00:28:09.759
 And so if you could

00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:10.779
 just point,

00:28:11.100 --> 00:28:11.559
 and by the way,

00:28:11.620 --> 00:28:12.340
 I'm not saying

00:28:12.340 --> 00:28:12.860
 these things

00:28:12.860 --> 00:28:13.420
 because if you're

00:28:13.420 --> 00:28:14.500
 a guest here today,

00:28:16.779 --> 00:28:17.019
 you know,

00:28:17.059 --> 00:28:17.259
 listen,

00:28:17.480 --> 00:28:18.819
 I'm a Canadian,

00:28:19.220 --> 00:28:19.380
 eh?

00:28:20.240 --> 00:28:20.640
 And,

00:28:20.819 --> 00:28:21.960
 I was supposed

00:28:21.960 --> 00:28:22.400
 to be a joke,

00:28:22.500 --> 00:28:22.680
 eh?

00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:24.039
 And if it was up

00:28:24.039 --> 00:28:24.279
 for me,

00:28:24.299 --> 00:28:24.880
 I'd never talk

00:28:24.880 --> 00:28:25.420
 about hell

00:28:25.420 --> 00:28:26.319
 because Canadians

00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:27.319
 don't talk about hell.

00:28:27.580 --> 00:28:28.240
 And if it was up to me,

00:28:28.279 --> 00:28:28.960
 I would never talk

00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:29.759
 about God's judgment

00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:30.779
 because Canadians

00:28:30.779 --> 00:28:31.519
 don't talk about

00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:32.080
 God's judgment.

00:28:32.279 --> 00:28:33.100
 I'm very Canadian.

00:28:33.720 --> 00:28:34.500
 I'd rather talk

00:28:34.500 --> 00:28:35.319
 about the senators

00:28:35.319 --> 00:28:37.679
 or NFL football

00:28:37.679 --> 00:28:39.579
 or politics

00:28:39.579 --> 00:28:41.119
 or anything

00:28:41.119 --> 00:28:41.939
 other than this.

00:28:42.399 --> 00:28:43.359
 But the text

00:28:43.359 --> 00:28:44.179
 forces us

00:28:44.179 --> 00:28:45.299
 to grapple with this.

00:28:46.039 --> 00:28:46.480
 So if you could

00:28:46.480 --> 00:28:47.279
 put up the first point,

00:28:47.379 --> 00:28:47.539
 Andrew,

00:28:47.579 --> 00:28:48.379
 that would be very good.

00:28:48.919 --> 00:28:49.659
 This text

00:28:49.659 --> 00:28:50.980
 puts before us

00:28:50.980 --> 00:28:51.759
 that you can live

00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:52.319
 and die

00:28:52.319 --> 00:28:53.679
 under God's judgment

00:28:53.679 --> 00:28:55.319
 or you can live

00:28:55.319 --> 00:28:55.899
 and die

00:28:55.899 --> 00:28:57.559
 under God's covenant.

00:28:57.559 --> 00:29:00.599
 You can live

00:29:00.599 --> 00:29:01.099
 and die

00:29:01.099 --> 00:29:02.220
 under God's judgment

00:29:02.220 --> 00:29:03.039
 or you can live

00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:03.579
 and die

00:29:03.579 --> 00:29:04.759
 under God's covenant.

00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:06.379
 You see,

00:29:06.579 --> 00:29:07.379
 one of the myths,

00:29:07.619 --> 00:29:08.240
 we have a whole

00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:09.099
 pile of myths

00:29:09.099 --> 00:29:10.200
 that we live under

00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:11.599
 us secular Canadians

00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:13.179
 and we Christian Canadians

00:29:13.179 --> 00:29:13.859
 start to breathe

00:29:13.859 --> 00:29:14.379
 in the air.

00:29:14.899 --> 00:29:15.379
 It's as if,

00:29:15.579 --> 00:29:16.119
 don't do this

00:29:16.119 --> 00:29:17.179
 because if you do this,

00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:18.019
 it might cause you

00:29:18.019 --> 00:29:18.480
 to die.

00:29:18.579 --> 00:29:18.720
 Like,

00:29:18.779 --> 00:29:19.299
 that's what we would

00:29:19.299 --> 00:29:19.819
 say to Esther.

00:29:20.139 --> 00:29:21.079
 But here's the thing,

00:29:21.139 --> 00:29:21.899
 here's the myth.

00:29:23.960 --> 00:29:24.500
 It's as if,

00:29:24.500 --> 00:29:25.099
 don't do this

00:29:25.099 --> 00:29:25.839
 because if you do this,

00:29:25.839 --> 00:29:26.579
 you might die,

00:29:26.819 --> 00:29:27.740
 but it's implying

00:29:27.740 --> 00:29:28.439
 that there's a way

00:29:28.439 --> 00:29:28.819
 to live

00:29:28.819 --> 00:29:29.339
 that means you'll

00:29:29.339 --> 00:29:29.819
 never die.

00:29:29.919 --> 00:29:30.500
 But that doesn't,

00:29:30.639 --> 00:29:31.759
 that's not an option

00:29:31.759 --> 00:29:32.699
 to any of us.

00:29:33.679 --> 00:29:34.659
 Everybody's going to die.

00:29:35.599 --> 00:29:36.579
 It's not if you live

00:29:36.579 --> 00:29:37.099
 a certain way

00:29:37.099 --> 00:29:37.959
 you won't die.

00:29:38.759 --> 00:29:39.859
 You're going to die.

00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:43.639
 Like you will.

00:29:45.779 --> 00:29:46.959
 It's very un-Canadian

00:29:46.959 --> 00:29:47.699
 to tell people,

00:29:47.819 --> 00:29:48.079
 do you know

00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:48.839
 you're going to die?

00:29:49.399 --> 00:29:50.659
 That's very un-Canadian.

00:29:51.959 --> 00:29:52.439
 But it's,

00:29:52.679 --> 00:29:53.019
 and you know,

00:29:53.059 --> 00:29:53.539
 is that really,

00:29:53.639 --> 00:29:54.539
 why is that un-Canadian

00:29:54.539 --> 00:29:55.259
 to tell people,

00:29:55.419 --> 00:29:55.819
 remind them,

00:29:56.500 --> 00:29:57.299
 why is it viewed

00:29:57.299 --> 00:29:58.059
 as impolite

00:29:58.059 --> 00:29:58.619
 to tell you

00:29:58.619 --> 00:29:59.139
 that you're going to die?

00:29:59.139 --> 00:29:59.379
 I mean,

00:29:59.619 --> 00:30:00.599
 like what fact

00:30:00.599 --> 00:30:01.439
 is more certain?

00:30:04.220 --> 00:30:05.059
 Like what does that say

00:30:05.059 --> 00:30:06.019
 about us as Canadians

00:30:06.019 --> 00:30:07.379
 that it's a terrible,

00:30:07.579 --> 00:30:08.259
 impolite thing

00:30:08.259 --> 00:30:09.259
 to say that to people?

00:30:09.899 --> 00:30:10.839
 And if you think

00:30:10.839 --> 00:30:11.879
 about it for a second,

00:30:15.939 --> 00:30:16.539
 you see,

00:30:16.639 --> 00:30:18.199
 what's said before Esther

00:30:18.199 --> 00:30:19.099
 is that no matter

00:30:19.099 --> 00:30:19.639
 what she does,

00:30:19.659 --> 00:30:20.480
 she's going to die,

00:30:20.879 --> 00:30:21.139
 right?

00:30:21.339 --> 00:30:22.159
 So some of you might say,

00:30:22.220 --> 00:30:22.299
 well,

00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:23.220
 if she's going to die anyway,

00:30:23.299 --> 00:30:24.079
 like why bother that?

00:30:24.119 --> 00:30:24.859
 Why doesn't she choose

00:30:24.859 --> 00:30:26.579
 to live a little bit longer?

00:30:27.159 --> 00:30:27.399
 Well,

00:30:27.439 --> 00:30:27.639
 I mean,

00:30:27.659 --> 00:30:28.859
 that's generally speaking

00:30:28.859 --> 00:30:30.000
 the type of way

00:30:30.000 --> 00:30:31.419
 that you find people

00:30:31.419 --> 00:30:32.500
 who aren't going to have courage

00:30:32.500 --> 00:30:33.579
 and other types of things

00:30:33.579 --> 00:30:34.159
 which we view

00:30:34.159 --> 00:30:35.519
 as actually very admirable

00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:36.419
 in the human life.

00:30:36.839 --> 00:30:37.699
 But some of you might say,

00:30:37.740 --> 00:30:37.819
 well,

00:30:37.819 --> 00:30:38.839
 if he's going to die earlier,

00:30:38.959 --> 00:30:39.519
 why bother?

00:30:39.579 --> 00:30:40.199
 And why bother

00:30:40.199 --> 00:30:41.079
 even doing anything

00:30:41.079 --> 00:30:41.699
 for a God

00:30:41.699 --> 00:30:42.479
 who's so mean

00:30:42.479 --> 00:30:43.719
 and spoils our fun

00:30:43.719 --> 00:30:44.859
 and wants to judge us

00:30:44.859 --> 00:30:45.399
 and all of that?

00:30:45.400 --> 00:30:46.040
 But,

00:30:46.040 --> 00:30:52.740
 you know,

00:30:52.820 --> 00:30:54.080
 because we as Canadians

00:30:54.080 --> 00:30:55.100
 don't ever want to talk

00:30:55.100 --> 00:30:55.620
 about death,

00:30:55.660 --> 00:30:56.280
 it means we also

00:30:56.280 --> 00:30:56.960
 don't want to ask

00:30:56.960 --> 00:30:57.960
 what death means.

00:30:59.400 --> 00:31:00.360
 Just think about it

00:31:00.360 --> 00:31:00.800
 for a second.

00:31:00.920 --> 00:31:01.019
 I mean,

00:31:01.080 --> 00:31:02.240
 I haven't had the courage

00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:03.420
 to talk about this lately.

00:31:03.580 --> 00:31:04.420
 I have talked about it

00:31:04.420 --> 00:31:05.960
 occasionally at St. Arbux,

00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:09.840
 but generally it doesn't come up.

00:31:10.420 --> 00:31:11.280
 But if it does,

00:31:11.340 --> 00:31:12.259
 I try to have the courage

00:31:12.259 --> 00:31:13.080
 to press in.

00:31:13.079 --> 00:31:13.359
 Like,

00:31:14.599 --> 00:31:15.579
 what does death mean?

00:31:17.019 --> 00:31:17.240
 Like,

00:31:17.299 --> 00:31:18.299
 why is it that Canadians

00:31:18.299 --> 00:31:18.960
 don't want to ever,

00:31:19.119 --> 00:31:19.939
 why is it that we don't even

00:31:19.939 --> 00:31:21.119
 want to look at philosophies

00:31:21.119 --> 00:31:21.939
 or theologies

00:31:21.939 --> 00:31:24.779
 and spiritualities

00:31:24.779 --> 00:31:25.619
 that actually say,

00:31:25.740 --> 00:31:25.899
 well,

00:31:26.059 --> 00:31:27.480
 here we have a great fact

00:31:27.480 --> 00:31:28.159
 of existence

00:31:28.159 --> 00:31:29.720
 and,

00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:30.480
 like,

00:31:30.740 --> 00:31:31.879
 let's ask the question,

00:31:31.960 --> 00:31:32.699
 what does it mean?

00:31:34.460 --> 00:31:34.859
 Like,

00:31:34.899 --> 00:31:35.599
 what does it mean?

00:31:36.619 --> 00:31:37.779
 And when you ask

00:31:37.779 --> 00:31:38.339
 what does it mean,

00:31:38.399 --> 00:31:39.899
 why is it that we view it,

00:31:40.599 --> 00:31:41.960
 everybody views death

00:31:41.960 --> 00:31:43.059
 as not natural?

00:31:43.079 --> 00:31:45.980
 But it is natural,

00:31:46.059 --> 00:31:46.480
 isn't it?

00:31:46.819 --> 00:31:47.879
 But why is it that we think

00:31:47.879 --> 00:31:48.519
 that there's something

00:31:48.519 --> 00:31:50.339
 not really natural about death?

00:31:51.319 --> 00:31:52.299
 That there's something

00:31:52.299 --> 00:31:53.399
 wrong about death?

00:31:53.799 --> 00:31:54.759
 Why is it that we think

00:31:54.759 --> 00:31:55.419
 that there's something

00:31:55.419 --> 00:31:56.599
 right about life

00:31:56.599 --> 00:31:58.139
 but wrong about death?

00:31:58.720 --> 00:31:59.460
 Why is it

00:31:59.460 --> 00:32:01.019
 that we think,

00:32:01.779 --> 00:32:02.519
 why is it that

00:32:02.519 --> 00:32:03.439
 we human beings

00:32:03.439 --> 00:32:04.519
 can't not do

00:32:04.519 --> 00:32:05.240
 what is wrong?

00:32:05.399 --> 00:32:06.220
 Why is it that

00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:06.759
 if we,

00:32:06.839 --> 00:32:08.339
 if we found

00:32:08.339 --> 00:32:09.279
 some psychologist

00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:10.980
 or some spiritual practice

00:32:10.980 --> 00:32:11.599
 that said that

00:32:11.599 --> 00:32:12.139
 if you follow

00:32:12.139 --> 00:32:13.359
 these spiritual practices

00:32:13.359 --> 00:32:15.039
 or follow this psychology,

00:32:15.039 --> 00:32:15.659
 you'll never do

00:32:15.659 --> 00:32:16.559
 another wrong thing

00:32:16.559 --> 00:32:17.419
 for the rest of your life?

00:32:17.480 --> 00:32:17.619
 Like,

00:32:17.699 --> 00:32:18.459
 why is it that

00:32:18.459 --> 00:32:20.459
 virtually all sane people

00:32:20.459 --> 00:32:21.439
 wouldn't believe that?

00:32:21.519 --> 00:32:21.659
 Like,

00:32:21.699 --> 00:32:22.759
 why is it that we don't

00:32:22.759 --> 00:32:23.179
 believe that?

00:32:23.240 --> 00:32:24.240
 Why is it that we know

00:32:24.240 --> 00:32:25.519
 that there's something wrong,

00:32:25.980 --> 00:32:27.019
 that there's something

00:32:27.019 --> 00:32:27.519
 about us

00:32:27.519 --> 00:32:28.699
 that keeps doing wrong things?

00:32:28.759 --> 00:32:29.539
 And why do we call it

00:32:29.539 --> 00:32:30.539
 wrong and not right?

00:32:31.959 --> 00:32:32.339
 Like,

00:32:32.379 --> 00:32:33.099
 why is there something

00:32:33.099 --> 00:32:34.339
 wrong about wrong?

00:32:34.339 --> 00:32:36.899
 So why is it

00:32:36.899 --> 00:32:37.419
 that there's something

00:32:37.419 --> 00:32:38.299
 wrong about death?

00:32:38.419 --> 00:32:39.059
 Why is it that there's

00:32:39.059 --> 00:32:39.639
 something wrong

00:32:39.639 --> 00:32:40.759
 about what is wrong?

00:32:41.299 --> 00:32:41.980
 Why is it that

00:32:41.980 --> 00:32:42.439
 there's something

00:32:42.439 --> 00:32:43.459
 right about goodness?

00:32:43.720 --> 00:32:44.259
 Why is it that

00:32:44.259 --> 00:32:44.679
 there's something

00:32:44.679 --> 00:32:45.819
 right about love?

00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:46.919
 Why is it that

00:32:46.919 --> 00:32:47.419
 there's something

00:32:47.419 --> 00:32:48.859
 right about life?

00:32:53.899 --> 00:32:54.980
 Only Christianity

00:32:54.980 --> 00:32:56.059
 explains this.

00:32:56.579 --> 00:32:57.559
 Only Christianity

00:32:57.559 --> 00:32:58.399
 explains it.

00:32:58.400 --> 00:33:06.840
 You see, death signifies that human beings who cannot fix themselves or do right,

00:33:07.200 --> 00:33:10.220
 that death signifies that you and I are under God's judgment,

00:33:11.240 --> 00:33:17.820
 that every human being is under God's judgment.

00:33:22.280 --> 00:33:27.200
 But if that's all that the Bible said, it would be unbelievably depressing.

00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:29.160
 But the Bible says something different.

00:33:29.259 --> 00:33:30.740
 It says, and this is what the text says,

00:33:30.819 --> 00:33:35.920
 Esther, you can continue to live, but if you're living, you're going to live under God's judgment.

00:33:36.059 --> 00:33:38.340
 And when you die, you're going to die under God's judgment.

00:33:38.519 --> 00:33:39.480
 But you have an option.

00:33:39.700 --> 00:33:42.279
 There's something before you, a choice before you today.

00:33:43.539 --> 00:33:46.400
 You can choose to live the next three days,

00:33:46.440 --> 00:33:49.319
 and we don't know whether in three and a half days you will die,

00:33:50.120 --> 00:33:52.819
 or if you won't die and you'll live longer,

00:33:52.819 --> 00:33:58.119
 but you can live under God's covenant with Yahweh as your Lord,

00:33:58.220 --> 00:34:02.359
 who will care for you and provide you because he has redeemed you and he loves you.

00:34:03.319 --> 00:34:06.859
 And you can live under God's covenant and die under God's covenant.

00:34:06.859 --> 00:34:15.000
 So for many Canadians, the very natural thing when something like this is brought before us

00:34:15.000 --> 00:34:22.920
 is to say, okay, in fact, the last time I actually had a conversation in a St. Arbux about this with a person.

00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:27.380
 It was actually one of those awkward times where she asked me,

00:34:28.359 --> 00:34:30.039
 George, do you think I'm going to hell?

00:34:30.039 --> 00:34:42.219
 I hadn't woken up that day thinking somebody in a public place was going to ask me if I thought they were going to hell.

00:34:43.820 --> 00:34:44.800
 I say this.

00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:47.719
 I have no idea whether I give a good answer or a bad answer.

00:34:47.820 --> 00:34:52.460
 I probably look like a deer caught in the headlights moments before the car gets hit.

00:34:52.779 --> 00:34:54.179
 But here's the wonderful thing.

00:34:54.320 --> 00:34:56.259
 You know, just bear witness to Jesus.

00:34:57.019 --> 00:34:58.719
 You don't have to do a perfect job.

00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:02.480
 Just be open to being used by him.

00:35:02.539 --> 00:35:03.399
 That's all I can say.

00:35:03.500 --> 00:35:05.339
 Just be open to being used by him.

00:35:06.019 --> 00:35:07.659
 And God will redeem your mistakes.

00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:09.159
 And he'll teach you.

00:35:10.519 --> 00:35:14.639
 And everything doesn't depend upon you doing a perfect job.

00:35:14.739 --> 00:35:16.179
 So just do it.

00:35:16.539 --> 00:35:16.679
 Okay?

00:35:19.299 --> 00:35:21.500
 And then in this particular conversation,

00:35:21.500 --> 00:35:27.219
 she went on because she'd learned from another barista about this.

00:35:27.219 --> 00:35:29.439
 And her response was,

00:35:29.480 --> 00:35:31.500
 and she said this to me.

00:35:31.539 --> 00:35:32.859
 It was sort of a compliment to me.

00:35:32.899 --> 00:35:34.179
 And I'm not telling you because it was a compliment.

00:35:34.759 --> 00:35:35.179
 She said,

00:35:35.279 --> 00:35:38.139
 I don't think you think you're better than me.

00:35:39.500 --> 00:35:41.539
 But he thinks he's better than me.

00:35:42.480 --> 00:35:44.119
 The guy who told her about hell.

00:35:44.980 --> 00:35:46.539
 He thinks he's better than me.

00:35:46.539 --> 00:35:48.179
 And she said,

00:35:48.199 --> 00:35:48.800
 but he's not.

00:35:50.639 --> 00:35:52.460
 And she said a few catty things about him.

00:35:53.759 --> 00:35:56.480
 And I don't think you think you're better than me.

00:35:56.519 --> 00:35:57.679
 But do you think I'm going to hell?

00:35:58.679 --> 00:35:59.079
 By the way,

00:35:59.139 --> 00:36:01.519
 I told her that I did tell her that,

00:36:01.579 --> 00:36:03.420
 even though I probably blah, blah, blah, blah.

00:36:03.579 --> 00:36:04.900
 But I did get to the point.

00:36:05.000 --> 00:36:06.460
 I said that he and I agree.

00:36:06.539 --> 00:36:07.659
 But what I did say is this.

00:36:07.659 --> 00:36:10.379
 God takes no delight in the death of a sinner.

00:36:12.079 --> 00:36:12.719
 But rather,

00:36:12.879 --> 00:36:15.039
 every sinner would turn and live.

00:36:16.500 --> 00:36:19.719
 And that God so loved the world that he did not,

00:36:19.980 --> 00:36:23.619
 God so loved the world that he did not send his son to condemn the world.

00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:27.899
 But that by believing and trusting in Jesus that we will live.

00:36:29.019 --> 00:36:29.920
 And in particular,

00:36:29.920 --> 00:36:30.839
 I said,

00:36:31.359 --> 00:36:35.639
 any Christian who communicates that they will not go to hell because they're good,

00:36:35.639 --> 00:36:38.779
 doesn't understand the vaguest thing about the Bible.

00:36:39.379 --> 00:36:40.839
 It's all about grace.

00:36:41.859 --> 00:36:43.119
 If you could put up the next point.

00:36:43.920 --> 00:36:45.359
 And those of you who know Tim Keller,

00:36:45.799 --> 00:36:47.839
 shameless borrowing from Keller.

00:36:48.299 --> 00:36:53.900
 Just Jesus is the true and greater Esther.

00:36:54.599 --> 00:36:55.239
 You see,

00:36:56.099 --> 00:36:57.539
 Esther is forced.

00:36:59.500 --> 00:37:00.879
 Jesus chooses.

00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:02.359
 Esther,

00:37:02.679 --> 00:37:03.699
 by her actions,

00:37:03.839 --> 00:37:04.799
 might not die.

00:37:04.800 --> 00:37:08.360
 Jesus knows that he will die.

00:37:09.260 --> 00:37:16.800
 Esther does this partially for herself to go to speak to the king so that she will not die in the genocidal purge.

00:37:17.300 --> 00:37:19.000
 Jesus doesn't do it for himself,

00:37:19.100 --> 00:37:20.100
 but he does it for others.

00:37:20.980 --> 00:37:22.700
 Esther takes a risk.

00:37:23.980 --> 00:37:26.300
 Jesus takes your doom and mine.

00:37:27.140 --> 00:37:30.280
 Esther risks death to intercede.

00:37:30.980 --> 00:37:33.740
 Jesus dies and intercedes.

00:37:33.739 --> 00:37:35.639
 If Esther dies,

00:37:35.639 --> 00:37:37.319
 she can't intercede.

00:37:37.779 --> 00:37:39.119
 But when Jesus dies,

00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:40.619
 he does intercede.

00:37:41.479 --> 00:37:43.439
 Esther's death means she fails.

00:37:44.599 --> 00:37:47.059
 Jesus' death ends by saying,

00:37:47.779 --> 00:37:49.439
 it is accomplished.

00:37:52.799 --> 00:37:53.919
 Esther's death

00:37:53.919 --> 00:37:56.819
 means that God finds another way.

00:37:56.820 --> 00:38:00.600
 Jesus' death is the only way.

00:38:00.600 --> 00:38:04.600
 Esther does this for the Jews.

00:38:05.500 --> 00:38:08.320
 Jesus died for Esther and Mordecai

00:38:08.320 --> 00:38:11.000
 and King Xerxes and Haman

00:38:11.000 --> 00:38:13.500
 and me and you.

00:38:16.500 --> 00:38:18.820
 Esther needs to see the king of Persia.

00:38:18.820 --> 00:38:22.400
 Esther is the king of all creation.

00:38:25.720 --> 00:38:30.500
 Esther means that as a Jew,

00:38:30.600 --> 00:38:32.580
 she will have to continue to follow the law

00:38:32.580 --> 00:38:34.960
 to be part of the government people.

00:38:35.500 --> 00:38:37.039
 But Jesus' death

00:38:37.039 --> 00:38:39.120
 would be followed by resurrection

00:38:39.120 --> 00:38:41.539
 and the free offer of grace.

00:38:41.539 --> 00:38:46.380
 Esther is part of the old covenant people.

00:38:47.480 --> 00:38:50.039
 Jesus' death and resurrection

00:38:50.039 --> 00:38:52.460
 bring in the new covenant.

00:38:54.579 --> 00:38:57.279
 Jesus is the true and greater

00:38:57.279 --> 00:38:59.739
 Esther.

00:38:59.739 --> 00:39:02.379
 and his death

00:39:02.379 --> 00:39:04.079
 is a death

00:39:04.079 --> 00:39:05.459
 that ushers in a new covenant

00:39:05.459 --> 00:39:07.199
 that means

00:39:07.199 --> 00:39:08.799
 that Jesus has done

00:39:08.799 --> 00:39:10.259
 all that has to be done

00:39:10.259 --> 00:39:11.579
 to make us justified,

00:39:11.899 --> 00:39:12.899
 to make us right,

00:39:13.439 --> 00:39:14.899
 to make us righteous

00:39:14.899 --> 00:39:17.559
 so that we will one day stand

00:39:17.559 --> 00:39:18.299
 in the new heaven

00:39:18.299 --> 00:39:19.099
 and the new earth

00:39:19.099 --> 00:39:20.819
 walking in the garden

00:39:20.819 --> 00:39:21.779
 in the cool of the day

00:39:21.779 --> 00:39:22.939
 with our heavenly father,

00:39:23.059 --> 00:39:24.279
 the creator and sustainer

00:39:24.279 --> 00:39:25.199
 of all things.

00:39:25.759 --> 00:39:27.519
 And we will be fully transparent

00:39:27.519 --> 00:39:28.519
 and unashamed.

00:39:28.519 --> 00:39:30.239
 And it's all

00:39:30.239 --> 00:39:32.340
 because of Jesus

00:39:32.340 --> 00:39:33.900
 and nothing

00:39:33.900 --> 00:39:36.099
 because of me

00:39:36.099 --> 00:39:37.519
 and nothing

00:39:37.519 --> 00:39:39.719
 because of you.

00:39:42.519 --> 00:39:43.920
 If you could put up

00:39:43.920 --> 00:39:44.639
 the next point,

00:39:45.159 --> 00:39:47.059
 if you live under God's judgment,

00:39:47.920 --> 00:39:49.380
 you will perish.

00:39:50.239 --> 00:39:52.639
 If you live under God's covenant,

00:39:53.320 --> 00:39:54.759
 you will grow

00:39:54.759 --> 00:39:56.820
 into blessedness.

00:39:56.820 --> 00:40:00.180
 the Bible says

00:40:00.180 --> 00:40:00.960
 that we are being

00:40:00.960 --> 00:40:02.600
 prepared

00:40:02.600 --> 00:40:04.360
 for an eternal

00:40:04.360 --> 00:40:05.320
 weight

00:40:05.320 --> 00:40:06.400
 of glory.

00:40:07.019 --> 00:40:08.660
 And in the first John text,

00:40:08.780 --> 00:40:09.980
 which we opened with,

00:40:10.780 --> 00:40:12.980
 one day we will see him

00:40:12.980 --> 00:40:15.100
 and when we see him,

00:40:15.960 --> 00:40:16.840
 we will

00:40:16.840 --> 00:40:18.680
 be like him

00:40:18.680 --> 00:40:21.800
 with a resurrected body

00:40:21.800 --> 00:40:24.280
 that can no longer die,

00:40:25.280 --> 00:40:26.700
 that is fit

00:40:26.700 --> 00:40:28.180
 to commune

00:40:28.180 --> 00:40:29.539
 with the Father

00:40:29.539 --> 00:40:30.080
 and the Son

00:40:30.080 --> 00:40:31.019
 and the Holy Spirit

00:40:31.019 --> 00:40:32.120
 for all eternity

00:40:32.120 --> 00:40:33.400
 in the new heaven

00:40:33.400 --> 00:40:34.720
 and the new earth.

00:40:35.140 --> 00:40:36.560
 And only God

00:40:36.560 --> 00:40:37.400
 can do

00:40:37.400 --> 00:40:38.180
 that.

00:40:38.680 --> 00:40:39.780
 And when we put

00:40:39.780 --> 00:40:40.360
 our faith

00:40:40.360 --> 00:40:40.940
 and trust

00:40:40.940 --> 00:40:41.660
 in Jesus

00:40:41.660 --> 00:40:42.460
 as weak

00:40:42.460 --> 00:40:43.060
 and reluctant

00:40:43.060 --> 00:40:44.220
 as we might be,

00:40:44.940 --> 00:40:46.539
 that is our identity,

00:40:46.539 --> 00:40:49.360
 that is our destiny,

00:40:49.980 --> 00:40:50.759
 and nothing

00:40:50.759 --> 00:40:52.279
 can take us

00:40:52.279 --> 00:40:53.900
 from his hands

00:40:53.900 --> 00:40:56.000
 even if we die

00:40:56.000 --> 00:40:57.880
 a gruesome death,

00:40:58.279 --> 00:40:59.940
 even if our obedience

00:40:59.940 --> 00:41:00.739
 means

00:41:00.739 --> 00:41:02.119
 that we perish.

00:41:02.119 --> 00:41:07.659
 And if you could

00:41:07.659 --> 00:41:08.659
 put up the final point,

00:41:08.799 --> 00:41:09.079
 Andrew,

00:41:09.940 --> 00:41:10.779
 the gospel

00:41:10.779 --> 00:41:12.079
 shapes you and me

00:41:12.079 --> 00:41:13.699
 to see each day

00:41:13.699 --> 00:41:15.480
 from the perspective

00:41:15.480 --> 00:41:16.179
 of

00:41:16.179 --> 00:41:17.359
 for such

00:41:17.359 --> 00:41:18.400
 a time

00:41:18.400 --> 00:41:19.359
 as this.

00:41:21.239 --> 00:41:22.359
 In Jesus,

00:41:22.880 --> 00:41:23.400
 your life

00:41:23.400 --> 00:41:24.279
 is not meaningless.

00:41:25.179 --> 00:41:25.799
 In Jesus,

00:41:26.539 --> 00:41:27.519
 even if you've lived

00:41:27.519 --> 00:41:28.779
 a terrible life

00:41:28.779 --> 00:41:30.159
 by the earthly standards,

00:41:30.319 --> 00:41:31.159
 unbelievably

00:41:31.159 --> 00:41:34.819
 like

00:41:34.819 --> 00:41:36.059
 if the big,

00:41:36.179 --> 00:41:36.879
 if from the eyes

00:41:36.879 --> 00:41:37.299
 of the world

00:41:37.299 --> 00:41:38.440
 everything about you

00:41:38.440 --> 00:41:39.259
 has been failure,

00:41:39.539 --> 00:41:39.859
 failure,

00:41:40.159 --> 00:41:40.480
 failure,

00:41:40.739 --> 00:41:40.980
 failure,

00:41:41.139 --> 00:41:41.379
 failure,

00:41:41.460 --> 00:41:42.399
 or if your life

00:41:42.399 --> 00:41:43.559
 has been success,

00:41:43.719 --> 00:41:44.019
 success,

00:41:44.199 --> 00:41:44.480
 success,

00:41:44.639 --> 00:41:44.879
 success,

00:41:44.879 --> 00:41:45.940
 when you put your hands

00:41:45.940 --> 00:41:46.420
 in Jesus

00:41:46.420 --> 00:41:47.199
 and he takes you

00:41:47.199 --> 00:41:47.819
 as his own,

00:41:48.259 --> 00:41:49.639
 he redeems your past.

00:41:52.539 --> 00:41:53.399
 And he means

00:41:53.399 --> 00:41:54.039
 that you're present

00:41:54.039 --> 00:41:54.739
 in your future

00:41:54.739 --> 00:41:56.119
 for every situation

00:41:56.119 --> 00:41:56.920
 you are in,

00:41:57.259 --> 00:41:58.279
 you can think

00:41:58.279 --> 00:41:59.480
 I am here

00:41:59.480 --> 00:42:01.139
 for such a time

00:42:01.139 --> 00:42:01.719
 as this.

00:42:03.159 --> 00:42:04.000
 I am here

00:42:04.000 --> 00:42:04.900
 for such a time

00:42:04.900 --> 00:42:05.279
 as this.

00:42:05.559 --> 00:42:06.319
 You have been placed

00:42:06.319 --> 00:42:07.159
 in your apartment

00:42:07.159 --> 00:42:08.159
 for such a time

00:42:08.159 --> 00:42:08.480
 as this.

00:42:08.539 --> 00:42:09.079
 You've been placed

00:42:09.079 --> 00:42:09.579
 there to pray

00:42:09.579 --> 00:42:10.480
 for your neighbors.

00:42:11.679 --> 00:42:12.139
 The place,

00:42:12.659 --> 00:42:13.339
 your dentist,

00:42:13.759 --> 00:42:15.119
 you see that dentist

00:42:15.119 --> 00:42:16.519
 for such a time

00:42:16.519 --> 00:42:17.059
 as this.

00:42:18.079 --> 00:42:19.219
 If you are sick,

00:42:20.219 --> 00:42:21.259
 from the eyes

00:42:21.259 --> 00:42:21.699
 of the world,

00:42:21.799 --> 00:42:22.839
 that's a terrible thing,

00:42:22.980 --> 00:42:23.759
 you can't accomplish

00:42:23.759 --> 00:42:24.159
 anything,

00:42:24.299 --> 00:42:24.920
 but you know what?

00:42:25.000 --> 00:42:26.059
 On your bed of sickness,

00:42:26.259 --> 00:42:27.319
 on your bed of death,

00:42:27.799 --> 00:42:28.859
 you can do things

00:42:28.860 --> 00:42:29.800
 that bring God glory

00:42:29.800 --> 00:42:30.599
 because you are there

00:42:30.599 --> 00:42:32.360
 for such a time

00:42:32.360 --> 00:42:33.220
 as this.

00:42:34.000 --> 00:42:35.059
 If you have to make

00:42:35.059 --> 00:42:36.360
 a stand for the gospel

00:42:36.360 --> 00:42:37.099
 or for righteousness

00:42:37.099 --> 00:42:37.740
 in Canada

00:42:37.740 --> 00:42:38.800
 that leads you

00:42:38.800 --> 00:42:39.760
 to lose your job

00:42:39.760 --> 00:42:41.760
 and get 150,000

00:42:41.760 --> 00:42:43.039
 or 150 million

00:42:43.039 --> 00:42:44.420
 angry tweets,

00:42:44.880 --> 00:42:45.480
 you did that

00:42:45.480 --> 00:42:46.140
 in such a way

00:42:46.140 --> 00:42:47.000
 and you are completely

00:42:47.000 --> 00:42:48.260
 publicly humiliated

00:42:48.260 --> 00:42:49.360
 where you are,

00:42:50.059 --> 00:42:51.260
 God can use that

00:42:51.260 --> 00:42:52.440
 because you are there

00:42:52.440 --> 00:42:53.280
 for such a time

00:42:53.280 --> 00:42:53.620
 as this

00:42:53.620 --> 00:42:54.420
 and that can be

00:42:54.420 --> 00:42:54.860
 a place

00:42:54.860 --> 00:42:55.940
 where God's glory

00:42:55.940 --> 00:42:57.380
 is spoken of

00:42:57.380 --> 00:42:58.619
 and his grace

00:42:58.619 --> 00:42:59.260
 is revealed

00:42:59.260 --> 00:43:01.260
 because in God

00:43:01.260 --> 00:43:02.539
 there are no little people

00:43:02.539 --> 00:43:04.420
 and he will use you.

00:43:05.559 --> 00:43:06.320
 Our day

00:43:06.320 --> 00:43:07.860
 is for such a time

00:43:07.860 --> 00:43:08.940
 as this.

00:43:10.039 --> 00:43:10.960
 Just close.

00:43:13.639 --> 00:43:14.860
 I've told you before,

00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:15.639
 I'm going to get emotional,

00:43:15.720 --> 00:43:16.720
 I don't mean to get emotional,

00:43:17.260 --> 00:43:18.599
 but when I was first ordained,

00:43:18.760 --> 00:43:20.340
 young 28-year-old guy,

00:43:21.519 --> 00:43:22.760
 I can tell you theology,

00:43:22.860 --> 00:43:24.059
 I can't tell you about life,

00:43:24.420 --> 00:43:25.380
 and I was forced

00:43:25.380 --> 00:43:26.240
 by my boss

00:43:26.240 --> 00:43:27.500
 to go visit somebody

00:43:27.500 --> 00:43:28.619
 at the Brier Center

00:43:28.619 --> 00:43:32.119
 and I hated visiting Diane,

00:43:32.360 --> 00:43:33.079
 that was her name.

00:43:33.720 --> 00:43:34.159
 She had,

00:43:34.260 --> 00:43:35.059
 I can't remember her disease,

00:43:35.240 --> 00:43:35.900
 but she had come

00:43:35.900 --> 00:43:36.579
 to the point in time

00:43:36.579 --> 00:43:37.900
 her family had abandoned her,

00:43:37.960 --> 00:43:38.480
 her husband,

00:43:38.599 --> 00:43:39.059
 her kids,

00:43:39.159 --> 00:43:39.960
 nobody saw her.

00:43:40.019 --> 00:43:40.800
 The only person

00:43:40.800 --> 00:43:41.639
 who came to visit her

00:43:41.639 --> 00:43:42.240
 was me

00:43:42.240 --> 00:43:44.940
 and I would go reluctantly

00:43:44.940 --> 00:43:45.659
 once a month

00:43:45.659 --> 00:43:46.559
 and I hated going

00:43:46.559 --> 00:43:47.400
 to visit her

00:43:47.400 --> 00:43:49.659
 because I couldn't

00:43:49.659 --> 00:43:50.460
 make her well.

00:43:51.480 --> 00:43:52.440
 All she could do,

00:43:52.740 --> 00:43:53.500
 she had a little thing

00:43:53.500 --> 00:43:54.200
 that came here

00:43:54.199 --> 00:43:55.599
 and she had to use

00:43:55.599 --> 00:43:56.559
 that to speak.

00:43:56.899 --> 00:43:57.539
 All she could do

00:43:57.539 --> 00:43:57.980
 was whisper.

00:43:58.079 --> 00:43:58.719
 She couldn't move

00:43:58.719 --> 00:43:59.919
 a single move body,

00:44:00.239 --> 00:44:01.199
 a muscle in her body.

00:44:01.319 --> 00:44:02.460
 I hated visiting her.

00:44:03.759 --> 00:44:05.179
 But she loved Jesus.

00:44:08.519 --> 00:44:09.759
 She ministered to me

00:44:09.759 --> 00:44:10.980
 in a very powerful way.

00:44:12.219 --> 00:44:13.599
 I went to visit her,

00:44:14.139 --> 00:44:15.739
 but she really visited with me.

00:44:15.739 --> 00:44:18.419
 You see,

00:44:18.799 --> 00:44:19.659
 for every day,

00:44:20.359 --> 00:44:21.099
 even in,

00:44:21.199 --> 00:44:22.059
 from what a point of view,

00:44:22.119 --> 00:44:22.759
 from a husband

00:44:22.759 --> 00:44:23.939
 and kids in the world,

00:44:24.179 --> 00:44:25.619
 her life was a waste.

00:44:25.739 --> 00:44:26.500
 Now we would say,

00:44:26.819 --> 00:44:27.739
 you should have killed her,

00:44:27.819 --> 00:44:29.099
 the doctor should have killed her

00:44:29.099 --> 00:44:29.879
 years earlier.

00:44:30.019 --> 00:44:31.379
 That's what Canadians would say.

00:44:31.419 --> 00:44:32.500
 She should have died years ago.

00:44:32.579 --> 00:44:33.619
 She didn't want to die.

00:44:35.559 --> 00:44:37.339
 And she knew that she was there

00:44:37.339 --> 00:44:39.059
 for such a time

00:44:39.059 --> 00:44:39.979
 as this.

00:44:39.980 --> 00:44:42.679
 Please stand.

00:44:44.800 --> 00:44:45.360
 You know,

00:44:45.539 --> 00:44:47.260
 if you have never given

00:44:47.260 --> 00:44:48.179
 your life to Christ,

00:44:48.300 --> 00:44:48.820
 you are here

00:44:48.820 --> 00:44:49.699
 for such a time

00:44:49.699 --> 00:44:50.199
 as this.

00:44:51.659 --> 00:44:52.980
 The Lord has brought you

00:44:52.980 --> 00:44:53.699
 to this time,

00:44:53.800 --> 00:44:54.420
 to this place,

00:44:54.460 --> 00:44:55.099
 to give your life

00:44:55.099 --> 00:44:55.619
 to Christ.

00:44:56.900 --> 00:44:58.000
 And I'm not going to tell you

00:44:58.000 --> 00:44:58.980
 words that you have to think

00:44:58.980 --> 00:44:59.500
 are magic.

00:44:59.659 --> 00:45:00.260
 You just say,

00:45:00.400 --> 00:45:00.719
 Jesus,

00:45:00.980 --> 00:45:02.059
 be my Savior

00:45:02.059 --> 00:45:02.539
 and my Lord.

00:45:02.579 --> 00:45:03.659
 I want to be like Esther.

00:45:03.800 --> 00:45:04.980
 I'm walking one way.

00:45:05.400 --> 00:45:06.920
 I want to now walk towards you

00:45:06.920 --> 00:45:08.539
 and thank you

00:45:08.539 --> 00:45:09.260
 that you never let me go.

00:45:09.280 --> 00:45:10.360
 Use your own words

00:45:10.360 --> 00:45:12.000
 and maybe even just physically,

00:45:12.199 --> 00:45:13.059
 if you're a physical,

00:45:13.199 --> 00:45:13.340
 you know,

00:45:13.400 --> 00:45:14.099
 like more,

00:45:14.260 --> 00:45:15.300
 like that type of person,

00:45:15.420 --> 00:45:16.119
 maybe you just even wanted

00:45:16.119 --> 00:45:16.780
 to stand there

00:45:16.780 --> 00:45:17.639
 and turn the other way

00:45:17.639 --> 00:45:19.159
 as a way of enacting

00:45:19.159 --> 00:45:19.920
 that you've given your life

00:45:19.920 --> 00:45:20.360
 to Jesus,

00:45:20.539 --> 00:45:21.699
 but there is no better time

00:45:21.699 --> 00:45:22.519
 than now you are here

00:45:22.519 --> 00:45:23.900
 for such a time as this.

00:45:23.940 --> 00:45:24.800
 And for each one of us,

00:45:24.860 --> 00:45:25.320
 we are here

00:45:25.320 --> 00:45:27.400
 for such a time as this.

00:45:28.900 --> 00:45:30.320
 That God will bless us

00:45:30.320 --> 00:45:31.059
 and use us

00:45:31.059 --> 00:45:32.019
 in our lives

00:45:32.019 --> 00:45:32.360
 where we are.

00:45:32.420 --> 00:45:32.820
 It doesn't mean

00:45:32.820 --> 00:45:33.860
 we can't have ambition

00:45:33.860 --> 00:45:34.360
 and want to go

00:45:34.360 --> 00:45:35.099
 different places,

00:45:35.240 --> 00:45:35.980
 but wherever you are

00:45:35.980 --> 00:45:36.620
 right now,

00:45:36.760 --> 00:45:37.800
 in whatever situation

00:45:37.800 --> 00:45:39.099
 or station of life,

00:45:39.500 --> 00:45:40.420
 you can ask God,

00:45:40.539 --> 00:45:40.720
 God,

00:45:40.800 --> 00:45:41.780
 why have you put me here

00:45:41.780 --> 00:45:43.059
 for such a time as this?

00:45:43.760 --> 00:45:45.099
 How can I bring glory

00:45:45.099 --> 00:45:46.200
 and meaning to my life?

00:45:46.320 --> 00:45:46.880
 Glory to you

00:45:46.880 --> 00:45:47.760
 and meaning to my life

00:45:47.760 --> 00:45:48.220
 right here,

00:45:48.320 --> 00:45:48.720
 right now,

00:45:48.800 --> 00:45:49.380
 where I am,

00:45:49.660 --> 00:45:50.440
 whatever it is I do.

00:45:50.539 --> 00:45:51.180
 Let's bow our heads

00:45:51.180 --> 00:45:51.579
 in prayer.

00:45:52.420 --> 00:45:52.680
 Father,

00:45:52.800 --> 00:45:53.620
 thank you so much

00:45:53.620 --> 00:45:54.200
 for Jesus.

00:45:55.260 --> 00:45:55.760
 Thank you,

00:45:55.840 --> 00:45:56.019
 Father,

00:45:56.120 --> 00:45:56.740
 so much

00:45:56.740 --> 00:45:57.860
 that he died

00:45:57.860 --> 00:45:59.019
 on the cross for us.

00:45:59.539 --> 00:45:59.940
 Thank you,

00:46:00.059 --> 00:46:00.340
 Father,

00:46:00.400 --> 00:46:01.280
 that he is the true

00:46:01.280 --> 00:46:02.240
 and greater Esther.

00:46:02.780 --> 00:46:03.320
 Thank you,

00:46:03.440 --> 00:46:03.720
 Father,

00:46:03.719 --> 00:46:04.859
 that in him

00:46:04.859 --> 00:46:06.459
 our lives

00:46:06.459 --> 00:46:07.419
 can have meaning

00:46:07.419 --> 00:46:08.259
 and purpose,

00:46:08.399 --> 00:46:09.559
 that you will use us

00:46:09.559 --> 00:46:11.539
 in ways that bring you

00:46:11.539 --> 00:46:12.399
 honor and glory,

00:46:12.599 --> 00:46:13.939
 that our repentance

00:46:13.939 --> 00:46:15.119
 can bring you glory,

00:46:15.379 --> 00:46:16.139
 our success

00:46:16.139 --> 00:46:17.679
 in living a good life

00:46:17.679 --> 00:46:18.599
 can bring you glory,

00:46:18.719 --> 00:46:19.439
 our generosity

00:46:19.439 --> 00:46:20.039
 can bring you.

00:46:20.079 --> 00:46:20.279
 Father,

00:46:20.359 --> 00:46:21.419
 that you use us,

00:46:21.439 --> 00:46:22.119
 whether we're rich

00:46:22.119 --> 00:46:22.579
 or poor,

00:46:22.759 --> 00:46:23.219
 smart,

00:46:23.739 --> 00:46:24.980
 or low IQ,

00:46:25.779 --> 00:46:26.819
 well-educated,

00:46:26.899 --> 00:46:28.339
 not well-educated.

00:46:28.500 --> 00:46:28.859
 Father,

00:46:28.939 --> 00:46:30.259
 that you can use us,

00:46:30.319 --> 00:46:31.219
 that you have called us

00:46:31.219 --> 00:46:31.939
 to be your people,

00:46:31.940 --> 00:46:32.900
 that you can use us

00:46:32.900 --> 00:46:33.740
 to bring you glory.

00:46:33.940 --> 00:46:34.099
 Father,

00:46:34.220 --> 00:46:36.079
 help us to be so gripped

00:46:36.079 --> 00:46:37.039
 by the gospel

00:46:37.039 --> 00:46:38.079
 and so gripped

00:46:38.079 --> 00:46:39.139
 by who Jesus is

00:46:39.139 --> 00:46:39.940
 and what he did for us

00:46:39.940 --> 00:46:40.559
 on the cross

00:46:40.559 --> 00:46:41.820
 that day by day

00:46:41.820 --> 00:46:42.639
 we understand

00:46:42.639 --> 00:46:44.519
 that you are shaping us

00:46:44.519 --> 00:46:45.460
 to bring you glory

00:46:45.460 --> 00:46:46.440
 where we are.

00:46:48.800 --> 00:46:49.920
 And we ask

00:46:49.920 --> 00:46:50.679
 and thank this

00:46:50.679 --> 00:46:51.980
 all in the name of Jesus,

00:46:52.159 --> 00:46:52.659
 your Son

00:46:52.659 --> 00:46:53.340
 and our Savior.

00:46:53.559 --> 00:46:53.880
 Amen.

00:46:53.880 --> 00:46:54.059
 Amen.

00:46:54.059 --> 00:46:54.099
 Amen.

00:46:54.099 --> 00:46:54.119
 Amen.

00:46:54.119 --> 00:46:54.200
 Amen.

00:46:54.200 --> 00:46:54.220
 Amen.

00:46:54.220 --> 00:46:54.240
 Amen.

00:46:54.240 --> 00:46:54.260
 Amen.

00:46:54.260 --> 00:46:54.320
 Amen.

00:46:54.320 --> 00:46:54.340
 Amen.

00:46:54.340 --> 00:46:54.360
 Amen.

00:46:54.360 --> 00:46:54.400
 Amen.

00:46:54.400 --> 00:46:54.440
 Amen.

00:46:54.440 --> 00:46:55.000
 Amen.

00:46:55.000 --> 00:46:56.119
 Amen.

00:46:56.119 --> 00:46:56.159
 Amen.

00:46:56.159 --> 00:46:58.059
 Amen.

00:46:58.059 --> 00:46:58.119
 Amen.

00:46:58.119 --> 00:46:58.159
 Amen.

00:46:58.159 --> 00:46:58.200
 Amen.

00:46:58.200 --> 00:46:58.220
 Amen.

00:46:58.220 --> 00:46:58.240
 Amen.

00:46:58.240 --> 00:47:01.920
 Amen.